The other inquiry, or the art of being careful, in offenders on probation supervision

In the field of criminal justice, investigation is at the heart of professional practice. Our data come from research carried out in three probation services in Latin Switzerland on the dynamics of securitisation of action. Based on Ginzburg’s indexical paradigm and Dewey’s pragmatist theory of enquiry, we identify four situations of enquiry in the professional activity of probation officers. We show that, despite the increasing orientation towards an actuarial and managerial rationality, the practice of probation officers is still largely oriented by clinical practices of vigilance based on an investigative approach. We argue for the articulation of these two approaches in a culture of safety.