Everything That Is Old Is New Again—Old Again—New Again . . .

• Author: Roger Guy,Mario A. Paparozzi
• Date: 01 February 2018
• DOI: 10.1177/1043986217752160
• Published date: 01 February 2018
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1043986217752160

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

2018, Vol. 34(1) 5 –12

© The Author(s) 2018

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DOI: 10.1177/1043986217752160

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Article

Everything That Is Old Is

New Again—Old Again—New

Again . . .

Mario A. Paparozzi1 and Roger Guy1

Abstract

Since the decade of the 1970s, the policies and practices in probation, parole, and

community corrections have vacillated between an emphasis on rehabilitation and

enforcement, and most recently back to rehabilitation. While these paradigmatic

shifts in ideology are driven by top management, generally at the behest of elected

officials who are concerned with burgeoning costs and the desire not to appear soft

on crime, it is what is done in everyday practice at the “street level” that determines

if change actually occurs and is interpreted. This essay discusses probation and parole

practices with regard to fluctuations in emphasis on the offender rehabilitation and

law enforcement functions of probation and parole officers.

Keywords

probation, parole, reentry, evidence-based practice, professional orientation

This essay is first and foremost a reflective piece on the first author’s involvement in

community corrections policy and practice over the past 44 years. While my line staff,

supervisory, and senior administrative practitioner experiences spanned 30 years in the

State of New Jersey, my perspective is national. I have provided, and continue to engage

in, countless training workshops, consulting, technical assistance, and conference talks.

Over the course of these 44 years, I have personally visited and interacted with com-

munity corrections practitioners in all but four states. Let me say at the outset that I have

encountered some excellent examples of probation and parole agencies providing

robust evidence-based principles grounded in the “what works” school of thought.

Unfortunately, I have countenanced many more practitioners and policy makers who

1University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, USA

Corresponding Author:

Mario A. Paparozzi, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina,

Pembroke, NC 28372, USA.

Email: mario.paparozzi@uncp.edu

752160CCJXXX10.1177/1043986217752160Journal of Contemporary Criminal JusticePaparozzi and Guy

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