Factors that lead to therapeutic alliance between juvenile probation officers and juveniles on probation.

• In Event: Professional cultures in community sanctions and measures

Abstract

Developing a therapeutic alliance when working with offenders is stated as one of the core correctional practices. A high-quality therapeutic alliance paves the way for better probation outcomes and it is proved that helps offenders to imagine and create a better life away from crime. In the field of juveniles who have been involved in the juvenile justice system there is lack of relevant research.
The aim of the current study was to illuminate juvenile probation officers’ and juveniles’ perceptions of the factors that contribute to therapeutic alliances. The participants of the study were 25 active juvenile probation officers and 20 young people, aged 17-26, who had experienced probation when they were juveniles. The study used semi-structured interviews to collect qualitative data and used the method of content analysis to explore the factors mentioned by participants based on their experience.
The findings of the interviews were clustered in three categories: probation officers’ personal characteristics and communication skills, juveniles’ personal characteristics and external environment (institutional setting, family, friends, lawyer, media, network of services and community characteristics). The study generates a new model of factors that lead to therapeutic alliances based on the lived experience of both sides of the alliance. The results will contribute to a global understanding of the factors that help the dyad of the probation officer and the juvenile who has been involved with the justice system to build strong therapeutic alliances for better probation outcomes. Moreover, the results of this study will give useful insight to other professionals who work with court - mandated juveniles.

Authors

• Tanya Koskiniadou, UNIVERSITY OF WEST ATTIKA

• Charisios Asimopoulos, UNIVERSITY OF WEST ATTIKA