OFFENDERS’ PROBATION

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1923, Page 3

OFFENDERS’ PROBATION

Tec annual report of the chief probation officer presented to the House of Representatives states:

The wink of the honorary I'robntion officers is very favourably commented upon. The volume and complexity of their work has been largely increased

■ tit the i tided burden east upon them does not appear to have reduced their effici.ncy or enthusiasm in the. least

degree. In many cases their supervision over lelc.'isctl prisoners has had a markedly good effect, men of this class having often been found employment and protected from themselves and from undesirable friends while in stub employment until the time arrived when they were able to stand alone and work out their own salvation. Without the cure and trouble taken by the ■prohntTon officer- in regard to so: li la.-es. many more offenders would have relapsed and been again -ontonceil either for further offences or for nreaeltes of probation. “Relapses of course occur.” says the officer, "put tieularly in the ease of habitual criminals who have been given by the I’risons Board an opportunity of showing whet Iter they can maintain under restricted liberty the reputations they have made while in prison for industry and good conduct. Relapses of this nature are treated very seriously by a section of the daily Press. One liighly-reputable journal lecently referred in somewhat scathing terms' to the action of the Prisons Board in releasing such offenders from safe custody. One wonders whether the writer of the article in question had any conception of the scope of the Board's work, or of the number of offenders lelottsed on probation who a;o never card of again either by the Courts or even by the police, wlm complete the full peri: (I of their sentences on probation, and are absorbed into the general working i •■iiiitiiiinty. Obviously there must lie a percentage of failure-. It is equally obvious that it is only the failures that come under the notice of the Press. Their number is far exceeded by the .successes. (tn the recommendation of the Pti--ons Board. 281 p i-oners were released on probation during the year ended December 31st., 1!>22.