Understanding the barriers that students in Further and Higher Education face when considering a career in the Probation Service

Despite the Probation Service having a fundamental role within the criminal justice system, staff recruitment and retention issues remain a continuing problem regarding Qualified Probation Officers. However, at present, the focus of research endeavours is placed upon those already in the service or leaving. Applying Bourdieu’s notion of a ‘Theory of Practice’, in which the idea of Habitus plays a crucial role, we highlight the barriers faced by Further and Higher Education students in recognising a career as a Probation Officer (PO) as an option. The findings from the two concurrent mixed methods studies reveal that students’ familial structures and influences at the primary socialisation stage routinely steered their career decision-making despite recruitment initiatives. Likewise, at the secondary socialisation stage, the education system often perpetuates unhelpful stereotypes about who is best suited for this form of employment.