Investing in ‘Toughness’: Probation, Enforcement and Legitimacy

This article examines the rise in prominence of ‘enforcement’ as a key aspect of the work of the probation service in England and Wales, and assesses the extent to which probation's ‘enforcement turn’ can be said to have enhanced the legitimacy of the Service. With reference to research on the effects of the toughening up of enforcement policies on both offenders and staff, this article argues that the equation of ‘toughness’ and ‘legitimacy’ in the probation context is deeply problematic. The article concludes that we may have reached a ‘tipping point’ with regard to enforcement and its reputational significance for the probation service, and that a more responsive and flexible approach towards the enforcement of community sanctions may be emerging.