Anchors through change: Exploring identity work in the unified probation service for England & Wales

Abstract

The Probation Service for England & Wales offers an important case study for those who are interested in the impact(s) of organizational change on workers in criminal justice and, in particular, the identity work that they engage in as they move through frequent iterations of change. In this article, we draw on data from an ongoing longitudinal study of probation reform to explore identity work among a mixed sample of practitioner and management grade staff in one of 12 probation regions. Our analysis reveals the significance of both occupational and organizational sources of identification to workers of all grades, but also evidence of dis-identification with aspects of the current organization. It further reveals the importance of anchors through change in workers’ identities as they navigate paths through successive reforms. These anchors include values, places and structures that are part of probation’s legacy but which offer a sense of continuity and meaning to workers as they adapt within a turbulent field.

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