Results from the semi-structured interviews conducted in the probation services

Tuesday, 01 September 2015 09:25 |

Within Project “European Standards in Probation Training” it was conducted a survey in the probation services in the country through a series of semi-structured interviews with people in leading positions. The main goal of the activity was to study the existing system of training of human personnel.

There were conducted interviews with all 27 heads of probation services and with other 13 people in leading positions in the system. As a result from the survey a report was made summarizing the results and drawing the following conclusions.

The heads of the probation system are contented with their activity with which they support and motivate the offenders to change themselves, to change their attitude towards the world and not to conduct antisocial acts anymore. They are aware that they are part of a non-standard occupation, that they can work with highly educated specialists, and that they can constantly develop and be innovative in order to achieve the best results.

According to the majority of the interviewees it is apparent that there is good communication with the other institutions in the community but they believe that it is necessary for the mechanism of work with the Labour Bureaus to be improved. In order for this to be done a coordinating mechanism should be built so that those sentenced to probation would be privileged to take part in the courses for professional qualification organized by the Labour Bureau. It is also necessary to think about a special work regime with those sentenced to probation or those having served a term of imprisonment.

As a whole the interviewed heads in the probation system think that their professional training is enough in order to perform their work duties. There is a system for training of the workers from the probation services in the country but they will only gain if additional trainings made by organizations not part of the system are conducted. It is good for all probation workers to be included in the trainings. Those trainings should be most of all practically orientated as almost all inquired individuals point out the need for solving various cases, role games, and training forms. Not a few of the interviewees think that the training should include both a theoretical and practical part with a priority for the practical one by giving specific cases. It is also good if these trainings focus more on the individual work with the clients by giving them more information on the organization and conduction of group work with the clients.

Project “European Standards in Probation Training” has been funded by Support Programme of NGO in Bulgaria under the Finance Mechanism of the European Economic Space 2009-2014.