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Confronting Delinquency: Probations Officers' Use of Coercion and Client-Centered Tactics to Foster Youth Compliance
Craig S. Schwalbe, PhD1*
and
Tina Maschi, PhD, LCSW, ACSW2
1 Columbia University School of Social Work, New York
2 Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, New York
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: css2109{at}columbia.edu.
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Abstract |
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Youthful compliance with juvenile court mandates is a cornerstone of effective probation practice. Despite this, research has not examined probation strategies for encouraging and enforcing youthful compliance with probation conditions. This study describes the use of confrontational tactics and client-centered approaches reported by probation officers in their supervision of delinquent youths. The study was conducted with data from a Web-based survey of probation (N = 308). Results indicate that officers balanced confrontational approaches with client-centered approaches. Officers employed confrontational tactics more frequently than client-centered strategies for youths with substance use problems, with younger youths, and with African American females. Alternatively, officers reported more client-centered approaches with females who had higher histories of prior service utilization and with youths who were perceived by officers to be honest. These findings open new avenues for research on the effectiveness of confrontation and client-centered approaches toward an evidence base for effective probation practice.
First published on July 20, 2009
Crime & Delinquency 2009, doi:10.1177/0011128709335150
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