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1931. NEW ZEALAND.

OFFENDERS PROBATION UNDER OFFENDERS PROBATION ACT, 1920, AND CRIMES AMENDMENT ACT, 1910 (REPORT ON OPERATION OF), FOR THE YEAR 1930-31.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Hon. the Minister of Justice to His Excellency the Governor-General. Sir,— Wellington, 6th August, 1931. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Chief Probation Officer on the operations of the Offenders Probation Act for the year 1930-31. I have, &c, John G. Cobbe, Minister of Justice.

The Chief Probation Officer to the Hon. the Minister of Justice. Sir,— I have the honour to present my annual report on the work of the probation system under the Offenders Probation Act and the Crimes Amendment Act for the year ended 31st December, 1930. It has been customary in past years to print as an appendix hereto reports of the principal District Probation Officers, but for reasons of economy these have been abridged, and extracts merely are appended. The reports from the Probation Officers and the statistical tables attached hereto show that the probation system has continued to be administered with success, and that in the majority of cases those admitted to probation have complied with the conditions imposed by the Courts and have justified the clemency extended. There were 1,835 cases dealt with during the year, made up of 812 new admissions and 1,023 on the registers at the beginning of the year. Of the total number of probationers dealt with only 147, or a fraction over 8 per cent., did not conform to the conditions imposed upon them by the Courts. During times of industrial depression the difficulty of fulfilling conditions in respect of making reparation and paying costs presses more heavily upon probationers than in normal times, yet notwithstanding this handicap a total sum of £3,812 15s. 7d., representing restitution-moneys and costs of prosecution, was collected from probationers during the year. The aggregate amount collected since the inception of the scheme is £49,816. The greater portion of this represents reparation to victims of offences. This is a positive feature of probation, as compared with incarceration, whereby the victim receives nothing and the offender becomes a charge upon the community. The satisfactory results of the past year's operations, despite the particularly adverse conditions that have prevailed, are due in a very considerable degree to the splendid assistance given to Probation Officers by a well-organized body of voluntary helpers. The advantage of having the active co-operation of Voluntary Committees to assist Probation Officers has been made very manifest during the past year in the efforts of Probation Officers to place probationers in employment. Every Probation Officer has expressed his deep sense of indebtedness to these voluntary helpers.

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