Introduction

At the time of writing this chapter, the probation service in England and Wales is much reduced, a substantial amount of its traditional work now transferred to private sector community rehabilitation companies. It may not survive (Mair, 2016) but now, part of the civil service and confined to the oversight of people classified as being at high risk of reoffending, more than ever it needs innovative and effective practice in order to continue its unique contribution to the rehabilitation of people who have offended. Current evidence-based theory indicates that cessation of offending, whether classified as primary or secondary desistance (Maruna and Farrall, 2004), is a process involving a complex array of factors that include the strengthening of social bonds through changes in identity and motivation at significant junctures in life (Farrall and Calverley, 2006). Professional interventions designed to contribute effectively to that process need to be founded on skills, knowledge and qualities pertinent to helping the individual through change and transitions; these include elements such as resilience, engagement, commitment, motivation, assessment and relationship building, as well as awareness of issues around diversity and knowledge of resources. This chapter, therefore, explores how those skills might be best developed, sustained and applied. In so doing, it will describe and critically assess various models of staff development in probation's past and recent history. It comes with two important riders: first, the past is not viewed through the easy critical prism of hindsight, but rather seen as part of a contribution to more recent developments; and second, skills are recognised as just one facet of effective practice to be placed alongside what might be described as first-level requirements, namely, relevant human qualities and life experience. It is with some reflection on the latter that the chapter begins.

Canned laughter

Truax and Carkhuff's (1967) much-referenced validation of the role of non-possessive warmth (unconditional caring and respect), empathy, genuineness and concreteness in effective helping, important and accepted as it is, has almost become a cliché. More interesting and relevant to the particular focus of this chapter is what these authors have to say about training people to communicate these qualities.