THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1978
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IMPORTANCE OF PROBATION SERVICE
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROBATION SERVICE AND CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO HELP THE PROBATIONERS TO BECOME USEFUL "CITIZENS AGAIN.
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF LIONS CLUB OF TAI PING SHAN AT THE MANDARIN HOTEL, MR. LEE SAID THAT PROBATION SERVICE HAD ITS DEFINITE VALUE AND IT WAS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN APPLIED TO +CAREFULLY SELECTED OFFENDERS+.
HE SAID THE PURPOSE OF PROBATION, WHICH NOW COVERS BOTH JUVENILE AND ADULT OFFENDERS, +IS TO ENSURE THAT PROBATIONERS WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE FREELY IN SOCIETY THROUGH THE FRIENDLY COUNSELLING AND ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE PROBATION WORKERS.+
THERE ARE AT PRESENT SOME 3,000 CASES WHERE MOST OFFENDERS ARE FIRST-TIMERS PLACED ON PROBATION BY THE COURT. STATISTICS SHOW THAT MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF THE PROBATIONERS WERE FOUND AFTER COMPLETING THE IR PROBATION ORDER.
CLEAN+
MR. LEE ALSO APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO REMOVE ANY COMMON DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS OFFENDERS AND TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES DIRECTLY IN THEIR REFORMATION TO KNOW THEM, TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES OF THEIR OFFENCES AND TO ASSIST THEM TO BECOME CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS AGAIN.
+A PROBATIONER NEEDS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PUBLIC AND TO BE ENSURED THAT HE IS NOT BEING PREJUDICED, + MR. LEE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE PROBATION SERVICE OFFERED TO OFFENDERS BEFORE THEY ARE SENTENCED BY THE COURT, MR. LEE SAID THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT OFFENDERS OF SERIOUS CRIMES OULD RECEIVE HEAVY PUNISHMENT, WHILE THOSE OF MINOR OFFENCES GIVEN LIGHT SENTENCES SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE BETTER CHANCES TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF.
PROBATION IS OBVIOUSLY DESIGNED FOR THE REFORMATION OF OFFENDERS, MR. LEE SAID. BUT, HE REMINDED THE BETTER SOLUTION TO PROBATION WAS PREVENTING CRINÏNAL ACTIVITIES.
HE APPEALED TO PARENTS, TEACHERS AND EMPLOYERS THAT THEY SHOULD BE +RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING AND SUPERVISING THEIR CHILDREN, STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WITH THE VIEW OF HELPING THEM TO FORM GOOD HABITS AND SELF-DISCIPLINE IN ORDER THAT THEY BECOME RESPONSIBLE YOUNG PEOPLE.+
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