THE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION
42. The Department continued its efforts through increasing financial and other forms of assistance to support the development of youth services provided by welfare agencies such as the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association, the Scouts Associa- tion Hong Kong Branch, Caritas, and the Youth and Children's Divi- sion of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.
LIBRARY SERVICES
43. The Department has provided mobile library services since 1950 and, with the inception of community and social centres in 1960's libraries serve a considerable readership in the urban areas. Three mobile libraries cater exclusively for the population of the New Territories and during the year they had over 19,000 registered readers. In addition to the mobile service each of the six community and social centres is equipped with a library. During the year they had a total registered membership of 30,513 persons of all ages.
CHAPTER V
PROBATION AND JUVENILE CORRECTION
44. Probation officers are social workers in the service of the courts whose responsibility it is to 'help, advise and befriend' offenders who are placed on probation. Their prescribed duties require them to make enquiries into the social and family background of accused persons, then to convey this information in reports to the courts, and where the latter impose a probation order, to supervise such offenders (whether juvenile or adult, male or female), for a period from 1 to 3 years.
45. A probation order requires that a probationer shall respond to the conditions which govern his behaviour and is designed to help him to make an adequate adjustment to society with the assistance of his supervisor. This work involves the treatment of offenders through social work methods of counselling and the mobilization of any social welfare facilities which may be required to achieve the necessary adjustment and rehabilitation. Probation officers are particularly con-
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