IMPLICATIONS OF VOLUNTEERISM ON PROFESSIONALISM IN JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICES

• NCJ Number: 54398
• Journal: Quarterly Volume: 35 Issue: 2 AND 3 Dated: (JUNE AND SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 72-81
• Author(s): J A Szakos
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Pennsylvania Assoc on Probation, Parole & Correction
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISED VERSION OF PAPER PRESENTED AT THE JOINT CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND THE ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ACTION SCHOLARS, OCTOBER 9, 1976

Annotation

THE PROFESSIONALISM OF VOLUNTEERS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICE IS EXAMINED IN THIS STUDY OF 147 JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS AND 48 VOLUNTEERS.

Abstract

THIS STUDY DEALT WITH FOUR BASIC QUESTIONS: (1) HOW DO THOSE WORKING IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM VIEW THE INFLUENCE OF VOLUNTEERS ON THE PROFESSIONALISM OF JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS, (2) DO VOLUNTEERS ALLOW FOR AN EXTENSION OF SERVICES TO JUVENILE OFFENDERS, (3) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS BEHIND A CITIZEN VOLUNTEERING HIS/HER SERVICES, AND (4) HOW DO THOSE WORKING IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM FEEL ABOUT THE ROLE THAT TRAINING PLAYS IN DEALING WITH YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS? QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 301 JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS AND TO 301 VOLUNTEERS. OF THESE, 47.6 PERCENT OF THE PROBATION OFFICERS AND 15.9 PERCENT OF THE VOLUNTEERS RETURNED A COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE. QUESTIONNAIRES CONSISTED OF A DEMOGRAPHIC SECTION AND AN ATTITUDINAL SECTION. THE ATTITUDINAL SECTION CONSISTED OF 34 ITEMS USING LIKERT SCALES. ATTITUDINAL ITEMS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DIVIDED INTO FIVE SCALES: (1) IMPACT, (2) PROFESSIONALISM, (3) COOPERATION, (4) PERCEPTION OF JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS, AND (5) TRAINING. CHI-SQUARE TESTS WERE USED TO DETERMINE SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG VARIABLES. IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH THE PROBATION OFFICERS AND THE VOLUNTEERS CONSIDERED JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS TO BE PROFESSIONALS. PROFESSIONALISM WAS THOUGHT TO BE INCREASED BY THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT VOLUNTEERS ALLOW FOR AN EXPANSION OF SERVICES, AND THEREFORE, PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN IMPROVING SERVICES TO JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. EXAMINING MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS BEHIND VOLUNTEERING, IT WAS FOUND THAT SELF-SATISFACTION WAS THE MOST PROMINENT CHARACTERISTIC OF A VOLUNTEER WORKING WITH JUVENILES. FINALLY, TRAINING WAS VIEWED AS BENEFICIAL. HOWEVER, EXPERIENCE WAS SEEN AS MORE IMPORTANT. THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IS SEEN AS IMPERATIVE. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED.