research review

Abstract

One of the purposes of the Journal, as we see it, is to provide proba tion staff with information which will help them carry out their com plex tasks more effectively, intelligently or critically. In the Digest section we have been particularly concerned to disseminate useful or interesting facts and figures, as well as the names and addresses of relevant organisations and publications.

In this new, occasional column, we hope to offer readers readable accounts of research relevant to probation practice. Recent years have seen major changes in our theoretical understanding of social work and of work with offenders, and considerable advances in know ledge. Practising staff have little time or opportunity to keep abreast of developments which may bear significantly on what they are doing. We hope this column will offer some remedy.

As a preliminary to examining the current state of research in specific aspects of practice in future columns, in this piece the authors discuss the theory/practice 'gap', and the role of theory in research. They outline the fundamental change which is taking place in social scientists' view of research.