ABSTRACT
Every human being has the right to be treated with respect and dignity. All too often, however, such rights are denied to black people, and we recall that, even during training to become probation officers and social workers, the aspect of respect and dignity for others was an issue which was rarely addressed. The end result of this, confirmed by our own work and observations within the criminal justice system and by research such as that undertaken by Voakes and Fowler (1989), is that an individual's right to justice and fairness is not always upheld by those who have a duty and a responsibility to do so. What has become abundantly clear over recent years is that the colour of a person's skin (particularly if that person is black), their gender, and any noticeable disability, can often lead to that person receiving an inferior service from their probation officer or social worker to that normally received by white, male offenders.
