Discharged

Today, I was humbled as I processed an Order of Probation Discharge for one of my first cases I took on as a fresh Probation Officer in 2018.

I have been supervising this specific defendant since then and yes he/she made the first two weeks of my job a pain in the ass. But, he/she quickly turned their life around and got it together; and not just to appease me. I can count the amount of cases on one hand that have had an impact such as this one has; but all four of those cases of mine make me feel like I truly do something right; despite it being very difficult and opposite at the beginning.

Ask people why they do the job they do, and they will often rummage lengthily for an answer.

So why do I do what I do?

Well-at the end of the work week, as hectic as it will ALWAYS be, I have a sense of having actually achieved something. I've done something that has had an impact on someone, or has made a meaningful contribution to my community in some way. Very rarely does a job/career field serve others or the community in the same way I feel my job does.

Though firmly made, this is somewhat of an understatement. Working with offenders to help them stop offending, is required. In fact it’s somewhat of a direct impactful transformation of a person’s life. At the end of my work week, my input/advice to a court might result in an offender being sentenced to jail or oppositely speaking, could keep them free to the public finding another victim. Surely there are very few jobs where the impact of being wrong is greater, and yet the odds of always being right are so vanishingly slim? The job is strange. When it goes right, nothing happens. Yet, if it goes bad, there can be immense pressure. As a Probation Officer, I must still learn to live with that pressure.

When I started, I was surprised at how little effect probation can have on someone's life. Inversely, “the few people that are affected by it and change their lives make my career and what I do worthwhile. It is a thankless job and you definitely don't do this it for the money.

It's a job I think, that those of us who do it, enjoy having that contribution. Let none of us forget, it’s a job that does need doing, even if many people would prefer to see offenders suffer rather than redeem themselves. Helping released offenders build better lives is an essential part of protecting people from them. A lot of the public want people removed from the community, but making people feel not wanted is only going to escalate their risk. If they've got a job and good accommodation, then you've given them something that they don't want to lose.

Yes, it comes with difficulties. Most generally start right immediately with the attitude of you can't make me do anything; which if I am being honest, they aren’t entirely wrong. I cannot make anyone do anything. I won’t be able to physically block them from entering the party store for booze nor can I smack the needle out of their hand when they choose to use. You will either co-operate or go to jail. That will always be the message.

You just have to deliver it correctly.

I have to remind myself regularly that my responsibility is to the public, not the offender. This makes me very unpopular at first with the offender. But it's amazing when someone shows up very threatening and aggressive, later thanks you for all your help and support; and does so genuinely. It comes down to giving people the chance to talk through what it is they're ultimately angry about because most just want to be heard. More than often, I manage to calm them down. If I can’t then I will just ask them to leave. Those on my caseload quickly realize it’s not my job to babysit and fight them. It is however my job to challenge the validity of their report, make them not want to make this decision again and simply supervise their progress serving their sentence out in the community. I am simply required to report facts. The point, which is never hidden, is never to convince criminals to change their ways – ultimately only they can choose to do that.

Understanding the triggers and patterns of the offender, motivating them to set the goals that they want to meet themselves and get them to address their risk; are what sets those who do the job for the right or wrong reasons. A big part of what I feel my work is, is not really something that is required of me…getting them to recognize their actual need to change.

Despite doing my best to influence such people for the better, it is also important for me to accept that there are some people who simply don’t want to change. The stereotypical statement of “Well what about the drug addict who repeatedly reoffends?” That’s the thing, there can still be grounds for optimism – or at least no grounds for giving up on an addict. Without Probation intervention, they may be back quicker. The fact they didn't offend for a year, that's one year less of victims. I see that as still worthwhile.

In some circumstances, such as this case, even repeat offenders do start to see things differently. Once they FIND their reason to change, they begin to put in the work. In the end they will see that it had minimal to do with me. It was all on them.

Best,

Probation Officer Melissa ObryckI (Sargent)