79. Mr. Tan Boon Cheok, who had served as a Probation Officer since 1952 and acted for two years as Principal Proba- tion Officer, was appointed Cadet Officer Class II in July 1956 and left the department.
80. By arrangement with the Home Office, Mr. Mak Wing Hong, the Superintendent of the Children's Centre, Kowloon, was sent to England on a comprehensive course of theoretical and practical training covering all the aspects of probation work and the residential treatment of delinquents.
81. The Probation Section at present consists of nine proba- tion officers, seven of whom, including one woman officer, serve the adult and juvenile courts of the Magistracies of Hong Kong and Kowloon and are available, when their services are required, to the District Courts of these two areas and to the Supreme Court. The other officers are seconded to take charge respec- tively of the Remand Home and the Shanghai Street Children's Centre.
82. The total of 136 current probation cases shows an increase of 31 cases over the previous year; there were 96 new cases as against 65 completed cases. It is gratifying to be able to record that 55 of the completed cases were satisfactory, whilst in 8 cases fresh offences were committed and another two cases cannot be traced and are therefore recorded as unsatisfac- tory. Nevertheless, these figures indicate 85% of successful probation cases on completion of their supervision. (See Appendix IX).
83. Of the 96 new cases, 77, of whom 13 were females, were guilty of larceny, and it is interesting to note that of the 136 current probation cases only 14 are females.
84. In order to maintain satisfactory supervision over their cases the Probation Officers have collectively paid 1,578 visits to the homes of their probationers and conducted 1,465 office interviews. In addition, to assist the Courts to determine appropriate sentences, the Probation Officers have conducted 2,311 social investigations into the hereditary and environ- mental background of offenders. This has necessitated their making 1,126 home visits and holding 2,828 office interviews. This number of social investigations shows a marked increase over the two previous years (1,624 and 662 investigations
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