This article takes a critical look at the integration of the probation service with after‐care. It expresses the personal views and the difficulties experienced by two probation officers who attempted integration by serving a part of their time inside a prison and the rest outside as local after‐care officers. It also gives an indication of their approach to case work and to what they feel are the right priorities for prison welfare work. For such priorities to have a chance of surviving, prison officers would themselves have to assume a more positive r