Maintaining Quality: Standardisation and Proceduralism in Criminal Justice Work

Abstract

Standards and procedures make a major contribution to the process of quality assurance. But under certain conditions the processes of standard setting and proceduralisation may become less helpful, or even counter-productive. This may happen, for example, when they become fetishised as ends in themselves, rather than used as tools in the pursuit of professional excellence. At their worst, standards may simply convey to staff the message ‘never mind your thoughts about this situation, this is what you have to do’.