This article considers the impact on probation practitioners of exposure to, and engagement with, clients' trauma stories. Drawing on research in related client-focused fields, the article discusses the constructivist self-development theory of vicarious traumatization and how the probation practitioner role places practitioners at risk of experiencing negative changes to their emotional well-being. Development of vicarious traumatization is discussed with reference to changes in organizational structure brought about through the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda. It is argued practitioners' use of self-care practices, the need for effective practitionersupervisor support systems and appropriate and trauma-focused training would all help to reduce the risk of practitioners developing vicarious traumatization.
This piece is a response to Phillips, Westaby and Fowler’s article ‘“It’s Relentless”: The Impact of Working with Primarily High-Risk Offenders’. Their research considers the pressure felt by practitioners supervising a predominantly ‘high-risk’ caseload due to increased public protection responsibilities and organizational failure to provide guidance as to prioritization of risk and need. This response further explores the emotional impact of supervising a high-risk caseload. This is discussed in reference to the case manager’s ability to engage with a client’s personal experiences of trauma within an organizational culture, which prioritizes public protection and concern for the potential for something to ‘go wrong’. It is argued supervisory support is inadequate and additional resources should be focused on practitioners’ need to reflect on the emotional impact of working with a high-risk caseload.
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