Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1955-1956 — Page 19

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CHAPTER IX

PROBATION

47. During the year certain staff changes have taken place to meet the needs arising from the growth of the Section, which now includes nine Probation Officers, two of whom are respectively in charge of the Remand Home and the Shanghai Street Children's Centre. Six Probation Officers, including one female Probation Officer, serve the adult and juvenile courts of the Magistracies of Hong Kong and Kowloon and are available, when their services are required, by the District Courts of these two areas and by the Supreme Court. One Probation Officer continued to act as Principal Probation Officer until mid- January, when he relinquished his duties on the arrival on contract from the United Kingdom of Mr. P. H. Hare, who has had long and varied experience in Probation Work, whose duties are to train local Probation Officers, and to consolidate and expand the Probation Service of Hong Kong.

48. The total of 105 current probation cases shows an increase of 32 cases over the previous year. There were 89 new cases while 57 cases were closed during the year. It is gratify- ing to be able to record that of the latter, 48 cases completed satisfactorily their period of probation, whilst only 9 cases were charged with fresh offences and committed to institutions. This gives a figure of over 80% successful cases. Of the 89 new cases, 64 were convicted of larceny, of whom 5 were females. It is interesting to note that of the 105 current probation cases, only 9 are females.

49. In order to maintain satisfactory supervision over their cases, the Probation Officers paid 1,196 visits to the homes of their probationers and conducted 848 office interviews and, in addition, to comply with the directions of the Court, the Pro- bation Officers have conducted 1,624 social investigations into the hereditary and environmental background of cases, which has necessitated their making 765 home visits and holding 1,894 interviews at the office. This number of social investigations shows a very marked increase over last year's total of 662 and

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