Challenging Antisocial Behaviour in Probation Practice

2025/11/02 by Eve Mullins, Steve Kirkwood, Peter Raynor · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · Psychology · #Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

paper · doi:10.1177/0306624x251376385

openalex publication_date 2025/11/02 · openalex created_date 2025/11/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Challenging antisocial behaviour is central to probation practice. Non-confrontational challenge has been identified as the most effective approach. Using conversation analysis to examine 25 probation sessions, we detail four common interactional resources practitioners use to challenge people subject to probation in a non-confrontational way: formulations, questions, assessments and advice-giving. We consider how these resources function and how they impact the ongoing interaction, specifically in terms of engagement and shifting clients' perspectives. The findings here deepen the practical and theoretical understanding of this cornerstone of effective probation practice.

Citations

• Whose decision? Negotiating epistemic and deontic rights in medical treatment decisions
• Epistemics in Action: Action Formation and Territories of Knowledge
• Stance, Alignment, and Affiliation During Storytelling: When Nodding Is a Token of Affiliation
• The rejection of advice: Managing the problematic convergence of a ‘troubles-telling’ and a ‘service encounter’

Discussions

• Our article with @evemull.bsky.social and Peter Raynor on Challenging Antisocial Behaviour in Probation Practice is now out in the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]