On Tour

On tour, the game was played at criminology conferences, by civil servants within the criminal justice system (CJS), penal reform organisations, young offenders, artists, gamers, designers. In each of these instances, the game operated differently, according to the assumptions these professions and social groupings bring, about probation, games, and art. The noteworthy moments for this exposition are when the game was played at events held by the Ministry of Justice(MoJ) and Prison and Probation Ombudsman(PPO). The distinctive factor here was that Probationary dealt with issues that were central to their professional life, and the decisions they discuss daily, while referring to experiences of those issues that they hadn’t previously had.

The question that Probationary gameplay provokes – and which requires more consideration – is: what are the ethical responsibilities, efficiencies, potentials of an artwork that is designed specifically for civil servants? This is an operational question, and one that emerges from an art practice that is deeply aware of a responsibility to act in the public good. Furthermore, a question that might arise from an awareness of art’s privileged role, and the need to maintain agency and independency from the organisations it seeks to critique, is: can an object designed only for staff, representatives and executioners of institutional rules, really be called art?

Next 🎲

Comments from players (non CJS)

• Relieved it’s over! The game was fun but with some interesting/frustrating scenarios.
• Guilty. The juxtaposition between fun game mechanics and terribly sad narrative is a strange one.
• A bit confused. The game was fun for what concerns the mechanics, a lot less so when thinking about people going through this for real.
• Sober! Out of control. A life of few opportunities and hard knocks that are little to do with me!
• Like I got a glimpse of the purgatory of escaping a bureaucratic system while riding an emotional rollercoaster.

Comments from players (CJS)

• Like I’ve been on a challenging journey. Some very frustrating junctures along the way! Realistic.
• Able to see the mindset & understand what influences and drives service users.
• Complicated rules which reflect the way the system work. Frustrated – like the experience of many offenders.
• In a reflective mood. Have or did I do enough to support my offenders.
• Good prompt for discussion about the appropriateness of intervention and the realities of different emotional issues.