Supervising Rioters: The Role of Probation

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the current response to the riots in the UK in August 2011 by comparing and contrasting the political and institutional factors with the reaction to the riots that occurred in Brixton and Toxteth 1981 and those in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham in 2001. The article focuses on the changes which have occurred within the probation service over that period and by interviewing twelve frontline practitioners, seeks to gain an insight into the ways these transformations reflect wider differences within the role of probation, the community, political and government attitudes and the ways this is communicated within the media.

Disorderly analysis: how might we best understand the riots in August 2011?

“…However unlike Brixton of 1981 participation in these riots it was argued was driven by the desire to loot from high-profile customer outlets (Fitzgibbon, et al, 2013). The reasons for this are contested and in turn have been interpreted in many different ways (Fitzgibbon, et al, 2013). Most notably was the opinion of government ministers describing the rioters as 'mindless criminals' of a 'feral underclass' (Clarke, 2011).…”