In the Best Interests of the Child? Distinctions Between the Professional Orientations of Juvenile and Adult Probation and Parole Officers

Abstract

Despite fundamental distinctions between the ideals of juvenile and criminal justice, little research has sought to establish the extent to which juvenile probation and parole officers’ orientations differ from those of their adult counterparts. Further, of the few studies that have explored this area of study, none have examined the role that organizational context may play in predicting professional orientation. Thus, this study aims to fill the gap in the literature by utilizing a sample of probation and parole officers drawn from three different types of agencies: juvenile-only supervision, adult-only supervision, and combined supervision. The results show that the system within which officers work is associated with professional orientation. Distinctions, however, are not as large or consistent as would be expected from strict adherence to the traditional ideals of the juvenile justice system versus the criminal justice system. The implications of these findings are discussed.