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Developing an effective mechanism for encouraging compliance with community penalties. / Pamela Ugwudike

Swansea University Author: Pamela Ugwudike

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore compliance with community penalties in order to develop the most effective strategies for encouraging compliance. The study examined compliance within the substantive contexts of probation supervision and the deterrent enforcement framework incorporated in probat...

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Published: 2008
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42812
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Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore compliance with community penalties in order to develop the most effective strategies for encouraging compliance. The study examined compliance within the substantive contexts of probation supervision and the deterrent enforcement framework incorporated in probation enforcement policy. The study is therefore theoretically located within two broad areas of research namely, short term compliance with legal authorities and the deterrence doctrine. As it was conducted in the context of probation supervision, it was possible to explore the patterns and correlates of short term compliance with legal authorities. The research site also provided a suitable forum for examining how criminal deterrence may operate given the enhanced certainty, severity and celerity of punishment for non- compliance. The criminological literature has tended to focus on explorations of: the aetiology of crime and deviance; or on the correlates of longer term desistance from crime. Whilst these provide valuable insights into the nature of crime and criminality, the correlates of conformity have not received similar attention. Departing from the trend, and drawing on a conceptual framework for understanding compliance devised by Bottoms (2001), this study examined short term conformity with legal directives from a criminological point of view. Underpinned by an interactionist philosophical position, the study utilised Grounded Theory methodology. Sixty four interviews were conducted with probation officers and probationers. The study found that compliance cannot be decontexualised from the activities of the officers in reacting to rule violations. Compliance is essentially the product of the symbolic definitions that emerge during interactions. An examination of the processes and conditions linked to compliance yielded insights into the effective mechanisms for encouraging compliance and highlighted several policy implications.
Keywords: Criminology.;Law enforcement.
College: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

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