The Helping Alliance in Juvenile Probation

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, much has been learned about the elements of effective correctional interventions through a body of literature known as “what works.” The primary foci within this literature are assessment, treatment models, and treatment setting. Relatively little is said about the specific knowledge, attitudes and skill sets that correctional staff should possess to be effective change agents, or about the importance of the relationships that form between correctional staff and the offenders they serve. This stands in contrast to the counseling profession, where the therapeutic, or helping, alliance has long been viewed as an intermediate criterion of counseling effectiveness. The purpose of this article is to examine the role of the helping alliance in juvenile probation settings. Strategies for facilitating the development of the helping alliance and suggestions for future research are discussed.