French third sector participation in probation and reentry: Complementary or competitive?

Abstract

In France, the third sector is virtually in sole charge of pre-sentence reports, prisoners’ resettlement, and prisoners’ families and victims’ support. It is increasingly in charge of supporting offenders’ reentry and rehabilitation in the community, of community work, of France’s equivalent of approved premises or half-way houses, of treatment programmes, and, in certain cases, of supervision itself. Unlike in England and Wales, there has not been a deliberate privatisation agenda in this jurisdiction; the third sector has simply gradually been forced to undertake the social work that state probation services have progressively forsaken. The French third sector today has little in common with its 19th century origins: it has become much more professionalised. However, it has kept its deep-seated community roots intact and is more innovative and flexible than the prison-imbedded state probation services. For these reasons, it is a much appreciated partner for the judiciary and local authorities. However, on a par with state probation, the third sector is yet to undergo an evidence-based practices revolution and policy-makers do not seem to be concerned by the outcome of their actions.