Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1961-1962 — Page 19

CHAPTER VII

PROBATION

47. The increasing confidence placed by Magistrates in the use of the Probation Service as a positive and constructive method of treat- ment for young offenders was a source of both encouragement and trial for the Probation Section during the year. A much heavier case-load overtaxed the available staff and facilities, even though 6 new Probation Officers (2 of them female) were recruited. 665 new offenders including 68 females were placed on probation by the Courts during the year and 463 completed the period of their Probation Orders. Of the latter 304 were considered to have done so satisfactorily; 139 of the 159 unsatisfactory cases committed new offences while on probation, 10 broke the conditions of the Order and 10 disappeared. A success rate of 66% was maintained, the same as last year.

48. The total number of individuals on probation at the end of the year was 844 (including 103 females), representing an increase of 202 or nearly a third over the previous year. In addition to supervising those on probation, the staff undertook the voluntary supervision of 56 persons (by way of aftercare extended to discharged inmates of the Remand Home and long term prisoners) and 2,616 social investigations requested by Magistrates. (see Appendix 13 for probation statistics and Appendix 14 for details of social investigations).

49. On the completion of a new Magistracy at Fanling and the opening of an extra court at Tsuen Wan, an officer was appointed to take charge of all New Territories probation work with his office in Fanling.

50. The Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon and New Territories Probation Committees each met twice during the year to review the cases supervised by Probation Officers.

51. The only Remand Home in the Colony is in Kowloon. This small Home, built originally for only 54 but providing since 1960 for 70 boys and girls, was also in difficulty during the year when numbers sent there on remand and for detention rose above the number of places and it was necessary temporarily to exceed capacity. This Home is intended as a place for juveniles on temporary remand awaiting appearance in court and for short term residential training for periods of not more than 6 months under the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance; during the year there was a turnover of nearly 3,500, almost all boys,

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