Through-Care: The Client's Point of View

Abstract

Through-care is a concept which has been in the probation officer's vocabulary for well over a decade now, but little has been written about how this service is perceived by its recipients. The author undertook some research into this field by interviewing 22 imprisoned clients at the beginning, middle and end of their sentences. This was followed up by interviews with their local probation officers, as well as the senior probation officers in those offices. As the research was based upon a young prisoners' centre, all of the sample were subject to statutory after-care. However, many of the conclusions are of relevance to the general policy of through-care in the Probation Service.