Has anyone been on probation before?

NVP · 19 May 2021 at 16:11

Martynt74 said:
It's tricky as mine was generally a continuation of what started within a big boxy building i called home for a while, so my "on the outside" experience may differ to yours. I recall the first was a longer session though as it was based around release.

I don't recall it being overly intrusive though, maybe some questions around family support etc. The main paperwork was very generic talking around the victim and empathy and stuff like that, but it wasn't really relevant unless you'd committed violence/burglary.

Thank you. That's interesting, perhaps they are going through new paperwork with me like a checklist? I'm being asked extremely personal things such as my care for my children, my relationship with my wife, my work, my friends, my finances/assets, my day to day activities etc. All completely unrelated to my conviction and something I do not wish to discuss with a stranger.

Terminal_Boy · 19 May 2021 at 16:11

wildman said:
I was on double secret probation........................

The absolute best probation.

Martynt74 · 19 May 2021 at 16:13

Terminal_Boy said:
The absolute best probation.

I'm glad someone else found that as funny as i did!

Bug One · 19 May 2021 at 16:14

Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. That's interesting, perhaps they are going through new paperwork with me like a checklist? I'm being asked extremely personal things such as my care for my children, my relationship with my wife, my work, my friends, my finances/assets, my day to day activities etc. All completely unrelated to my conviction and something I do not wish to discuss with a stranger.

This will be so that the person working your case can complete an OASys.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offender_Assessment_System

BallistixOnZ490 · 19 May 2021 at 16:15

Robi_uk said:
My guess is the number of people that have been on probation on this forum will be very small. I mean most of them will be computer geeks & nerds :O

Thats because they won't be given probation, they will just be jailed for insulting people on Facebook.

Martynt74 · 19 May 2021 at 16:15

Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. That's interesting, perhaps they are going through new paperwork with me like a checklist? I'm being asked extremely personal things such as my care for my children, my relationship with my wife, my work, my friends, my finances/assets, my day to day activities etc. All completely unrelated to my conviction and something I do not wish to discuss with a stranger.

Maybe it's different due to the nature of your crime, there may be more "safety" related issues i guess.

jsmoke · 19 May 2021 at 16:20

Bunch of bullies really.

They are trying break you down to a degree, remind you who's the daddy.

It's largely about targets and politics. The better their stats the better it looks for the politicians.

You've just crossed the line you could easily be on the other side.

Mr Badger · 19 May 2021 at 16:20

wildman said:
I was on double secret probation........................

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

Bug One · 19 May 2021 at 16:23

Martynt74 said:
Maybe it's different due to the nature of your crime, there may be more "safety" related issues i guess.

Lesser crimes where you just get to do Unpaid Work won't require a full assessment. They'll assess your risk to staff and others on the group, but other than that you're on a minibus picking up litter.

NVP · 19 May 2021 at 16:23

Bug One said:
I worked in Probation for 15 years - not front line, but have a fair bit of experience of much of the work.

It is a very intrusive process. Ultimately, the staff working your case are responsible for reducing the risk of you committing further offences. What you get out of it and how they plan to achieve that really depends on what you've been convicted of.

I always remember a very experienced officer, on the day of retiring telling me after 40 years in the field he'd come to the conclusion that his whole career was a waste of time. People don't change. Or moreover - you can't change people. It's partly why so much focus at the time was around working with young families and trying to prevent people getting into crime in the first place.

Thank you. I feel it too intrusive, personal and completely unwarranted.

To expand, and to also answer Dowie - I had my car searched and was found with a collection of souvenir knives in my car, which I had placed there to avoid my young children finding in my drawers now that they have started walking, and was going to drop them at my parents home when I next visited. Unfortunately it appears that was a criminal offence and was charged with each item.

Bug One said:
This will be so that the person working your case can complete an OASys.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offender_Assessment_System

Thank you for that, makes a bit more sense now but I don't understand why they are being so personal as it feels quite beyond any normal or logical scope.

Martynt74 said:
Maybe it's different due to the nature of your crime, there may be more "safety" related issues i guess.

Perhaps, it just doesn't make any logical sense to me with how much personal detail they wish for me to divulge. Thank you for answering, it is appreciated.

Martynt74 · 19 May 2021 at 16:25

Le Clandestin Brun said:
Perhaps, it just doesn't make any logical sense to me with how much personal detail they wish for me to divulge. Thank you for answering, it is appreciated.

Hopefully you can move past the whole thing quickly and easily enough without it disrupting too much.

Mr Badger · 19 May 2021 at 16:26

Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. I feel it too intrusive, personal and completely unwarranted.

To expand, and to also answer Dowie - I had my car searched and was found with a collection of souvenir knives in my car, which I had placed there to avoid my young children finding in my drawers now that they have started walking, and was going to drop them at my parents home when I next visited. Unfortunately it appears that was a criminal offence and was charged with each item.

And you were only wearing a balaclava because it was cold and you had stopped outside the bank to ask for directions.

NVP · 19 May 2021 at 16:31

Martynt74 said:
No worries, to be fair it's a few years ago now and so my memory of things may be different to how they actually were. I also don't generally bother about privacy in any way shape or form, so perhaps just didn't take the same issue with intrusive questions as you.

Hopefully you can move past the whole thing quickly and easily enough without it disrupting too much.

Ah I see, typical/general questions I would have no real concern with, but the amount of detail requested and persistent questioning on family etc. I find way too intrusive to divulge to a stranger, especially one with attitude.

Thank you, yes I hope so but it will be on-going for quite some time. They did mention that it would change to monthly at some point, I'm unsure of when that would be. Thanks for the info, your replies are appreciated.

Mr Badger said:
And you were only wearing a balaclava because it was cold and you had stopped outside the bank to ask for directions.

Hahaha

sanaxe1 · 19 May 2021 at 16:31

Picture of the souvenir knives for anyone interested.

He just came back from a Rambo Fan Convention.

Ahleckz · 19 May 2021 at 16:31

Mr Badger said:
And you were only wearing a balaclava because it was cold and you had stopped outside the bank to ask for directions.

Ayahuasca · 19 May 2021 at 16:32

sanaxe1 said:
Picture of the souvenir knives for anyone intersted.

He just came back from a Rambo Fan Convention.

Naughty.

McBain · 19 May 2021 at 16:33

Anyone got a popcorn gif in here yet?

Edit: Ah yes, beautiful.

Bug One · 19 May 2021 at 16:35

Le Clandestin Brun said:
Thank you. I feel it too intrusive, personal and completely unwarranted.

To expand, and to also answer Dowie - I had my car searched and was found with a collection of souvenir knives in my car, which I had placed there to avoid my young children finding in my drawers now that they have started walking, and was going to drop them at my parents home when I next visited. Unfortunately it appears that was a criminal offence and was charged with each item.

Thank you for that, makes a bit more sense now but I don't understand why they are being so personal as it feels quite beyond any normal or logical scope.

Perhaps, it just doesn't make any logical sense to me with how much personal detail they wish for me to divulge. Thank you for answering, it is appreciated.

If they come to the conclusion that this was just a bit of a mix up and realise you're not actually a psychopath about to go on a killing spree - then they'll shift a lot of their focus onto more pressing cases.

Unfortunately, most Serious Further Offences come from low tiers. So you'll have to figive them for being overly intrusive and cautious.

BallistixOnZ490 · 19 May 2021 at 16:35

Mr Badger said:
And you were only wearing a balaclava because it was cold and you had stopped outside the bank to ask for directions.

I actually have wondered a lot about this, especially with all the controversy around female religious face coverings, or even now with medical masks.

Why is a balaclava or ski mask automatically considered an indicator of criminal intent?

The issue of crimes committed in such guises isn't to do with the type of face covering, but the fact that the face is concealed.

SPG · 19 May 2021 at 16:35

IceBear said:
Actions have consequences..
Welcome to consequences

Choices have consequences, action is nothing more than a bad choice.

/just saying i have nothing better to add.