XN000022-1977-01-29 — Page 5

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1977

OPENING OF PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS SERVICE EXHIBITION

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REPORTS MADE BY PROBATION OFFICERS ARE OF INESTIMABLE VALUE' TO THE SENTENCING COURT WHEN DEALING WITH YOUNG OFFENDERS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR GEOFFREY BRIGGS, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE EXHIBITION ON PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS SERVICE HELD AT THE OCEAN TERMINAL THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING.

SIR GEOFFREY SAID: THE MERE RETRIBUTIVE ASPECT OF THE PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS IS NOWADAYS BUT LITTLE REGARDED. THE COURT ALWAYS HOPES THAT AN OFFENDER, PARTICULARLY A YOUNG OFFENDER, WILL MEND HIS WAYS OR LEARN A LESSON BY REASON OF THE PUNISHMENT AWARDED TO HIM OR THE SENTENCE IMPOSED UPON HIM.

+ IN THIS AREA, THE PROBATION OFFICER MAKES A MOST REAL AND

VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION,+

+ IN HIS REPORT. THE REPORTING OFFICER INVARIABLY PAINTS A BALANCED AND FAIR PICTURE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENDER AND HE NEVER ATTEMPTS TO USURP THE FUNCTIONS OF THE JUDGE,+ HE ADDED.

POINTING OUT THAT THE WORK OF THE PROBATION OFFICERS DOES NOT STOP AFTER HE HAS MADE HIS REPORT TO THE COURT, THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAID: + IF A PROBATION ORDER IS MADE THE PROBATION OFFICER HAS THE DUTY OF SUPERVISING THE LIFE OF THE PERSON IN RESPECT OF WHOM THE ORDER IS MADE.

+THE PROBATION OFFICER, IN EFFECT, ACTS IN LOCO PARENTIS TO THAT PERSON HE IS A SORT OF TEACHER CUM PARENT. HE TRIES TO ENSURE THAT ANY UNDESIRABLE ACQUAINTANCES ARE DROPPED ANY PREVIOUS BAD HABITS ARE GIVEN UP.+

=

+HE ATTEMPTS, AND OFTEN WITH GREAT SUCCESS, TO GAIN THE RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE OF THAT PERSON AND SO FAR AS HE IS ABLE, TO POINT THE WAY TO A MORE BALANCED AND RESPECTABLE WAY OF LIFE,+ HE CONTINUED.

SIR GEOFFREY SAID THAT PROBATION OFFICERS HAD TO BE FIRM AS WELL AS TACTFUL AS MANY OF THEM WERE REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH ARROGANT YOUNGSTERS WHO MAY BE ADDICTED TO DRUGS, THUGGERY OR GAMBLING.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE PRAISED THE CORRECTIONS INSTITUTES, MANAGED BY THE PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

HE SAID THAT THEY WERE EXPERTLY RUN AND THAT THE GREATEST POSSIBLE INDIVIDUAL CARE WAS TAKEN OF EACH INMATE.

/SPEAKING