Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1960-1961 — Page 19

it looked after 22 of the 66 unmarried mothers which came to the attention of the Section during the year.

48. Meanwhile, the Special Welfare Services Section of the Depart- ment screened nearly 2,000 women and children in accordance with the requirements of the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance, No. 30 of 1915, to prevent trafficking in women and children. (See Appendix 10).

CHAPTER VIII

PROBATION

49. The greater reliance placed on the probation service by the Courts in dealing with offenders and the opening of new magistracies at Causeway Bay and North Kowloon have increased enormously the work-load of the Probation Section. The number of current probation cases rose to 642, compared with 362 the previous year and 240 during 1958-59. There were corresponding increases in the number of enquiries and reports to the Courts, the number of offenders committed to institutions run by the Probation Section, and the number of after-care cases. (See Appendices 11 and 12 for detailed statistics.) Although three probation officers in training were recruited during the last quarter of the year, the net result of these developments was a general increase in the work-load of officers. In some instances probation officers had to deal with case-loads of between 90 and 100 as against an average of about 40 during the previous five years. While this exceptionally rapid expansion has imposed a heavy strain on the small body of trained and experienced probation officers, it is encouraging that the Courts have come to repose increasing confidence in this form of rehabilitation of delinquents.

50. The Remand Home in Kowloon continued to deal with three categories of juvenile offenders-those arrested in Kowloon by the police and awaiting appearance in court, those remanded by the two Juvenile Courts and those committed for residential training under the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance for a period up to six months. To cope with the increased use of the Home the maximum accommodation was increased from 54 to 70 by adding an extra double-tier bunk to each room. The average daily population was 60 and the total admissions and dis- charges were 2,909 and 2,904 respectively. The situation will be much improved when the new home at Begonia Road is ready next year.

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