I Service Definition
Introduction
Probation is a community based programme whereby, in accordance with the
Probation of Offenders Ordinance (Chapter 298), an offender is placed under statutory supervision of a probation officer [PO(Probation)] for a period of 1 to 3 years. The ultimate goal of probation service is to assist offenders to re-integrate into the community as law-abiding citizens.
Purpose and objective
The purposes of probation service are :
(a) to provide social enquiry report to the court;
(b) to provide supervision to offenders put on probation during their probation period; and
(c) to provide welfare assistance to offenders and their families as necessary.
The objectives of probation service are :
(a) to make recommendation to the court on the suitability of an offender to be put on
Probation supervision or Community Service Order;
(b) to implement the court’s directives on the treatment and rehabilitation of those put under Probation supervision;
(c) to assist them in making positive changes in their attitude and behaviour;
(d) to enhance their life coping skills to avoid re-offending;
(e) to strengthen the family support in the process of rehabilitation if applicable;
(f) to inform the court when the probationers fail to comply with the Probation Order; and
(g) to utilize community resources to meet the needs of offenders referred by court and, where necessary, those of their family members.

Nature of service
(a) In serving the courts and the parties concerned, POs(Probation) prepare pre-sentence reports including social enquiry reports, Community Service Order
Suitability Reports, reports on long-term prisoners and petition cases, and progress reports of the probationers.
(c) The services provided for the probationers include statutory supervision, personal guidance and family counselling through regular home visits, interviews and other activities during their probation period. On-going case monitoring would be conducted in accordance with the said Ordinance and the Manual of Procedures.
(d) Where appropriate, offenders, probationers and their family members are referred to approved institutions run by the Department or residential homes for children and youth with emotional / behavioural problems run by non-governmental organizations, related units or agencies for psychological treatment, welfare services and other services such as Volunteer Scheme for Probationers and
Community Support Services Centre.
Target group
The target group is offenders who :


 are referred by court for social enquiry; are ordered by court to be under probation supervision;
 have completed the probation order but are willing to receive voluntary supervision up to three months;
 are serving sentence in prison launching petition or whose sentence are subject to review; or are referred by court for welfare assistance or other professional reports.
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II Performance Standards
The service operator will meet the following performance standards :
Outputs
Output
Standard Output Indicator Agreed level
( Magistrate Court )
3
4
2
1 Average number of social enquiry cases prepared per probation officer in a year*
Average number of supervision cases handled per probation officer in a year**
Rate of satisfactory completion cases in a year (RI)
Average number of hours of direct social work services per probation officer per month in a year****
Essential service requirements

6 cases per month
***
29 cases per month
80%
82 hours
Agreed level
( High Court )
6 cases per month
9 cases per month
86%
99 hours
Probation service should be provided by registered social workers who are gazetted probation officers or under induction
 At least one Probation Officer should be on duty in juvenile court or to answer enquiries from court during court hearing day.
Quality
Service operators will meet the requirements of the 16 Service Quality Standards
(SQSs).
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Keys
R1
Illustrations
Rate of satisfactory completion cases
=
Number of satisfactory completion cases during the year

Number of both satisfactory and unsatisfactory completion cases during the year
x100%
*
**
***

Satisfactory completion cases refer to cases in which the offenders completed the supervision period stipulated in the Probation Order without re-conviction or breaching the Order.
Unsatisfactory completion cases refer to cases in which the offenders have been re-convicted or breached the Order.
The agreed level is mainly based on the average in 1997/98 and 1998/99. Actual number of social enquiry cases depends on court referrals.
The agreed levels are mainly based upon the average caseload per worker and distribution of cases among the offices in 1997/98 and 1998/99.
Probation office serving only the Juvenile Court in the Magistracy is accepted to have output below the agreed level (i.e. around 3 social enquiry cases per month) in view of the higher intensity of casework input and required court attendance for majority of cases.
**** Number of hours of direct social work service refers to number of hours spent on counselling, social investigation and making referrals to Government and non-governmental organizations for residential training, drug withdrawal treatment, volunteer service, school placement, employment, psychological and psychiatric services, group and programme activities as well as follow-up/joint work with the above parties (excluding travelling hours, court attendance, paper work and training). The agreed level is based upon previous experience.
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