2.  SIMPLE LANGUAGE - you are not trying to impress the probationer with your fabulous vocabulary.  You are trying to effectively communicate with him.  Be aware of his terminology and discuss on the level that he can understand.

3.  PROBATIONER’S IDENTIFY! - be careful to your mannerism, set a good example; if you are effectively reaching him he will emulate much in the same manner as a son copies a father.

4.  ADVICE - in order to be accepted it must be given from his point of view.  This is where empathy and understanding is paramount.  Can he use the advice or is it impossible?  If the latter is true this sets up a road block.

5.  LISTENING - one of the most basic requirements of a good counselor it is that he or she is a good listener.  (For most of us this a very difficult task).  Be objective.  There is a difference in listening to a person and actually hearing what he has to say.

6.  RESPECT FOR CLIENT - respect the offender and his basic right as a fellow human being.  He has transgressed the law, but when you get down to actual facts, who of us has not.  He needs to be viewed with dignity and there is no room for narrow prejudices.  Basically, you must like the person in order to deal with him effectively.  Many times his moral are different form yours, but remember, he has different sense of values and has been exposed to an environment that is foreign to you in many cases.  If you dislike a probationer or have personality conflicts with which you cannot resolve, do not hesitate to request that you be taken off the case.  This is far more honorable than struggling under irremovable pressures.

7.  ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS - the offender readily recognizes your sincerity , or lack of it.  It is not so important what you say, but how you say it.

8.  HIGH EXPECTIONS - think positively regardless of the shortcomings of the probationer.  Exploit his strong points and strengthen his weaknesses.

 9.  USE OF AUTHORITY - the authoritarian figure is vested in the professional supervisor.  Your strongest authority will be your ability to convey your psychological strengths as you have the expertise of knowing how to get along in the world successfully and the probationer does not or has not.

10.  INSPIRATIONAL - be enthusiastic!  Show your leadership and depict good examples of strong character and humbleness in your successes.

11.  CAUSE DISCOMFORT - if a person remains frustrated long enough he will find a way of adapting to the situation.  (An example is the “gaddy daddy or non-support individual who rationalizes his position of not paying child support until he finally feels it is not his duty to do so.)  Exploit frustration and discomfort when you can see a client is not satisfied with his lot in life.  Make him comfortable so as to challenge and motivate him in the right direction.  Challenge him to do something about it if he is not satisfied.

12.  GUILT FEELINGS - probationers may not be as sensitive to feeling of guilt as you are.  We need to generate appropriate guilt feelings in the individual as this serves as a deterrent to further law violations.

13.  USE OF CRISIS - the criminal offender is accustomed to being defeated and overcome by crisis.  However, the volunteer counselor is in the position to stand by and assist him during a crisis.  Habitual defeat can sometimes be turned into a learning process and final victory.

14.  PERSISTENCE - is a very important part of counseling.  It shows the probationer that we will not give up on him.  He himself expects to be disappointment.  When he realizes that you are genuinely interested in helping, often time this will serve as a turning point in his behavioral pattern.