XN000022-1976-09-12 — Page 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1976

2

HE SAID IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE A WRONG CONCEPT OF THE PROBATION SERVICE BECAUSE ONLY INDIVIDUAL CASES OF RACIDIVISM ARE REPORTED WHILE SUCCESSFUL CASES ARE SELDOM PUBLICISED BECAUSE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND THE CONFIDENTIALITY ENTRUSTED TO THE PROBATION OFFICERS.

+WE ONCE MADE A SURVEY OF A SELECTED GROUP OF EX-PROBATIONERS AND FOUND THAT MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF THEM WERE FOUND TO BE +CLEAN+ ONE YEAR AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THEIR PROBATION ORDER, HE SAID.

+THOUGH THIS FIGURE CANNOT BE REGARDED AS AN ABSOLUTE REFLECTION OF OUR SUCCESS RATE, IT NEVERTHELESS SERVES AS AN ENCOURAGING REFERENCE FOR OUR PROBATION OFFICERS AND PROVES BEYOND ANY DOUBT THAT THE PROBATION SYSTEM DOES WORK, HE STRESSED.

MR. MAK SAID IT WAS TOTALLY WRONG TO THINK THAT AN OFFENDER IS SIMPLY SET FREE IF HE IS PUT ON PROBATION.

DURING THE PROBATION PERIOD WHICH USUALLY LASTS FROM ONE TO THREE YEARS, HE SAID, A PROBATIONER MUST OBEY THE PROBATION ORDER WHICH OBLIGES HIM TO WORK AND ENSURE HIS GOOD CONDUCT AND ABSTENTION FROM PUGNACIOUS ACTIVITIES.

+ IN ADDITION, SUPPLEMENTARY CONDITIONS MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY THE COURT TO INDICATE EXACTLY THE REQUIRED SCHOOL, JOB OR LODGING, HE SAID.

THIS SERVES AS A BOND TO THE OFFENDERS AND EXPERIENCES REVEALED THAT SOME PROBATIONERS WOULD RATHER PREFER TO SERVE A PRISON TERM WHICH MAY BE RELATIVELY SHORTER THAN THE PERIOD OF PROBATION SUPERVISION IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN. IN FACT, IF THE PROBATION ORDER IS BREACHED THE PROBATIONERS CAN BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT AGAIN AND BE IMPRISONED, + MR. MAK SAID.

+IT IS UP TO OUR PROBATION OFFICERS TO EXERCISE THEIR PATIENCE, PROFESSIONAL ISM AND HUMANITY TO SLOWLY WIN THEM OVER AND IT IS A GREAT CREDIT TO OUR OFFICERS THAT A LOT OF EX-PROBATIONERS STILL COME BACK TO THEM FOR ADVICE LONG AFTER THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN INTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY, HE ADDED.

TURNING TO THE VALUE OF THE PROBATION SERVICE, MR. MAK SAID THAT MINOR OFFENDERS WHO NURSE PENITENT FEELINGS AND HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN JAIL WHERE THEY WOULD BE OPEN TO THE ADVERSE INFLUENCE OF HARDENED CRIMINALS.

+BY PUTTING THEM ON PROBATION, THEY ARE GIVEN A CHANCE TO START AGA IN AND THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS WILL BE DISREGARDED ON THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THEIR PROBATION ORDER UNLESS THEY COMMIT A CRIME AGAIN. SO THE MAIN CONCERN OF THE PROBATION SERVICE IS THE WELFARE ON REHABILITATION OF THE MINOR OFFENDERS.

+WE TAKE CARE OF AN AVERAGE OF 2,800 PROBATIONERS A MONTH AND BY RELEASING THIS LARGE WORKFORCE BACK INTO SOCIETY WHERE THEY CAN DO PROPER JOBS, THE SYSTEM IS INDIRECTLY HELPING HONG KONG'S PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MR. MAK ADDED.

13