Probation Service Officer
Chris Barney has worked as a Probation Service Officer for two years. Before his appointment he worked with offenders as a volunteer.
"Before i joined the Probation Service I had worked as a management consultant in the hosiery industry. I made a decision that / wanted to work with people in my local community. I wanted something that would be fulfilling. Life in general had gone pretty well, and when things hadn’t, someone had been there for me. Not everyone has that support when events turn bad."
"My work is very varied and i see the whole spectrum of probation work. I attend court every week, and you see people at the start of their orders, and who have been returned because they have broken the conditions of their sentence. This is called breaching an order. I also act as a Case Manager for offenders on a certain type of order and who require resettlement work as they adjust to living in the community."
"As a Case Manager you need to be a fairly outgoing personality. being a Case Manager involves liaising with other agencies to secure a variety of services that may be required by a particular offender.It is so important to build up your own contacts and database. Although the Probation Service is governed by National Standards and targets, there are opportunities to bring your own experiences into play. I have also found that being part of Probation is being part of a team. My colleagues are a good lot and are always there to give advice when you need it."
