XN000022-1984-01-17 — Page 11

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1984

PROBATION SERVICE HAS HIGH SUCCESS RATE

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THE VALUE OF THE PROBATION SERVICE FOR OFFENDERS IS THAT THEY ARE SOCIALLY REHABILITATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF BEING LOCKED AWAY IN PRISON, SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL OFFICER (HONG KONG), MRS ROSE GOODSTADT, TODAY (TUESDAY).

IN A LUNCHEON TALK TO THE CITY LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUCCESS RATE IN PROBATION HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AT 80 PER CENT IN RECENT YEARS,

THE SUCCESS RATE IS DEFINED ON THE BASIS THAT PROBATIONERS DO NOT COMMIT ANY OFFENCE FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE PROBATION PERIOD.

+THE SUCCESS OF THE PROBATION SERVICE, SHE SAID, +DEPENDS NOT ONLY ON THE JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE PROBATION OFFICER AND THE PROBATIONER, BUT ALSO ON THE CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT WHICH THE PROBATIONER'S FAMILY, SCHOOL AND SOCIETY ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE.+

SHE SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT CARRIED OUT THE COURTS' DIRECTIVES TO PROVIDE PROBATION SUPERVISION, RESIDENTIAL TRAINING AND AFTERCARE SERVICES FOR OFFENDERS WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF INTEGRATING THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

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IN 1982-83, 2 337 PEOPLE WERE PLACED ON PROBATION AND OVER 90 PER CENT OF THEM WERE MALES UNDER 21. THE IR OFFENCES WERE MAINLY THEFT AND BURGLARY.

+PROBATION IS AN ALTERNATIVE SENTENCE TO IMPRISONMENT AND IS AVAILABLE FOR OFFENDERS AT ALL AGES.

+IT PERMITS THEM TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND SUPERVISION OF A PROBATION OFFICER FOR A PERIOD OF ONE TO THREE YEARS,+ SHE SAID.

MRS GOODSTADT SAID THAT THE MAIN DUTIES OF A PROBATION OFFICER WERE TO PROVIDE THE COURTS WITH INFORMATION ON AN OFFENDER'S CHARACTER AND BACKGROUND PRIOR TO SENTENCING, AND TO OFFER SUPERVISION AND PERSONAL GUIDANCE TO PROBATIONERS THROUGH HOME VISITS AND INTERVIEWS.

+OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL INVESTIGATION REPORTS PREPARED BY PROBATION OFFICERS AS WELL AS IN THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS PLACED ON PROBATION SUPERVISION, SHE ADDED.

THERE ARE AT PRESENT 11 PROBATION OFFICES ATTACHED TO JUVENILE COURTS, MAGISTRACIES AND THE SUPREME COURT.

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