In the United States, probation is the most widespread type of criminal sentencing. Phelps explains that “between 1981 and 2007 (the year with the highest probation rate), entries to probation increased by 214 percent”. That is why it is not a surprise that probation officers are of significance in American society since they deal with many of its members. Thus, this part will describe how it is possible to develop a probation officer’s multicultural skills.
To begin with, one should state that multicultural competency is significant. If probation officers fail to have one, probationers can experience implicit or even explicit forms of discrimination. That is why Nagdev emphasizes the role of probation officers’ training. Its principal purpose is to create an environment that will reflect the values of diversity. In other words, training should be organized in multicultural groups where probations officers will learn how to avoid racism and discrimination. In addition to that, multicultural competency implies that probation officers should know the customs and traditions of various minority groups. Nagdev states that this knowledge will help probation officers establish a connection with their probationers, which will result in positive outcomes for both sides.
In conclusion, it has been shown that probation officers need multicultural skills because they work with a significant part of American society that includes representatives of various minority groups. The first way to develop these skills is to organize probation officers’ training in a multicultural environment. The second significant factor is to emphasize knowledge of foreign customs and traditions because this information is necessary for probation officers to establish productive contact with their probationers.