Case Study- "Out-of-Town Brown" and the Besieged Probation Supervisor
Joan Casey is a career probation officer. She majored in criminal justice as an undergraduate, holds memberships in several national correctional organizations, attends training conferences, and does a lot of reading on her own time to stay current in the field. Casey began working for the Collier County Probation Department soon after she graduated from college and was promoted to a supervisory position, where she supervises an adult probation unit consisting of eight seasoned probation officers. The unit is responsible for investigating approximately 80 offenders a month and preparing presentence investigation (PSI) reports on them. Collier County's Probation Department made the front page of the local newspapers twice in the past month. Both times it was a nightmare for the chief probation officer, Jack Brown, and the entire agency. "Northside Stalker Gets Probation!" screamed the first headline, and then, just a week later, "Collier County Soft on Crime!" Brown called a management team meeting: "Better PSIs," he said, "or heads are gonna roll!" Everybody got the point. This week Brown is on annual leave and Casey is the designated officer in charge. One of Casey's probation officers has recommended intermediate sanctions for a 23-year-old man who murdered his stepfather with a knife after suffering many years of physical and mental abuse. The young man had no prior record and had been an incest victim since he was 5 years old; he is considered an otherwise nonviolent person, a low recidivism risk. Casey is aware of the probation officer's recommendation and agrees with it. However, she receives a call from a well-known veteran local television anchor-a strong crusader in the local war against crime. He knows the young man will be sentenced tomorrow.
Questions for Discussion
1. What should Casey's response be to the reporter (other than hanging up or telling him to call back) concerning the agency's recommendation?
2. If Casey elects to discuss her officer's recommendation for some form of intermediate sanction, how can she justify such sanctions in general and in this case specifically?
3. Do you feel that the probation officer's recommendation based on these facts is correct? Why or why not?
4. Which form of intermediate sanction would appear to hold the most promise for the offender in this case?