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Probation is constructive rather than destructive. It is economical and it is humane. Probation is not suitable for every case, and humanitarian considerations should not eclipse the right of society to protection. It. has been stressed previously that the more generous impulses of the law are not intended for crimes involving deliberation and brutality. Wherever the protection of the community demands incarceration or segregation from the general social group probation would be inappropriate. It is recognized by all authorities as being essential, in the interests of the efficient working of the system, that if probationers do not conform to the conditions of their probationary license either through failing to report as required, or by ignoring their obligations in other respects, they require to be dealt with by the Courts in a salutary manner. Formal probation without strict enforcement of conditions is futile and tends to bring the administration of criminal justice into disrepute. Dr. Sheldon Glueck in " Probation and Criminal Justice " states, inter alia : — " The Probation Officer's work is to a great extent conditioned by the intelligence and sympathetic attitude of the Courts. ... If they exercise poor judgment in the selection of offenders to be placed on probation the supervisory efforts of the Probation Officer are bedevilled by a clientele that is not suited to extra-mural oversight. If Judges are either angrily repressive or sentimentally lenient —considerations that are beside the point if one truly believes in a scientific administration of criminal justice —then, again, the efforts of the Probation Officer too often come to naught. If, for example, a probationer again and again violates the conditions imposed by the Court and Probation Officer, and yet goes unscathed, then the prestige of the Probation Officer suffers not only in the offender's eyes, but in his own, and the system in the opinion of the public." There is statutory provision (Offenders Probation Act) that when an offender is brought before the Court for a breach of probation the Court, in addition to dealing with the breach, may also deal with the offender on the original charge by the imposition of a salutary term of imprisonment or reformative detention. The statistics show that in practically 85 per cent, of the cases dealt with under the Act the offences were against property. The total number of cases dealt with during the year under the Offenders Probation Act was 2,170, which was 31 less than the number for the previous year. The number of fresh admissions to probation was 821, which was 54 more than the total for the year 1933. It is satisfactory to observe that the Courts are gradually increasing their use of this form of treatment of offenders. Over 50 per cent, of the total number admitted to probation during the year were under twenty-five years of age. It has been stated that the adolescents and the post-adolescents are the most difficult age-groups to deal with, as these, in the majority of cases, have neither the plasticity and readiness of children to accept authority nor the more sober sense of the responsible adult. Probation Officers find that the handling of these requires firmness combined with infinite tact and patience. A sympathetic understanding of human nature is an essential qualification of a Probation Officer. The results on the whole are gratifying. The statistics show that, of the total number of persons on probation, 182, or approximately 8 per cent, only, failed to conform to the conditions of their probationary license, and only half of these committed an actual criminal offence. The Crimes Amendment Act statistics deal with parole probationers, that is persons who have been released on the recommendation of the Prisons Board after serving a term of imprisonment or detention. There were 371 persons released on probation during the year under review. Of these, 2 were recommitted to prison for a breach of the conditions of their license, and 29, including 6 habitual criminals, had their licenses cancelled for further offences. Considering the many difficulties and handicaps with which these individuals are beset in rehabilitating themselves, it is gratifying to find the percentage of failures so small. The effectiveness of the efforts in after-care work and parole may be judged from the fact that during the. five years ended 31st December last 1,581 prisoners (excluding habitual criminals) were released on probation, and during this period only 137, or 9 per cent., were returned to prison for failing to comply with the conditions of their release, or for other offences whilst on probation ; and only 24-79 per cent, have again been convicted subsequent to discharge. After-care and probation work was systematized and extended a few years ago, and voluntary committees were appointed to assist Probation Officers. The purpose was to spread the burden so as to limit the number of probationers to that which could be effectively supervised, and also to more widely diffuse the interest in probationers so as to assist in finding avenues of employment. In addition to the Probation Committees there are five Prisoners' Aid Societies operating in various towns in the Dominion. The main function of these is to assist in the rehabilitation of released prisoners. The Prison Gate Mission at Christchurch also gives valuable help in this connection, and the Salvation Army co-operates in a sympathetic and practical manner. There are two Borstal Associations whose purpose is mainly to cater for the after-care and placement of young persons released from Borstal institutions. The Women's Borstal Association is now a Dominion-wide organization, having associates throughout the country. Rehabilitation work is mainly a community service in New Zealand, and practically the whole of the after-care work is carried out on a voluntary basis, the Government, owing to financial stringency, being able to make only small grants annually to the Prisoners' Aid Society and the Borstal Associations. In addition to the large number of voluntary workers, there are 230 official Probation Officers ; 10 of these are full-time officers ; 4 part-time officers ; 4 are Salvation Army Women Probation Officers ; and 206 are Police Officers who act as Probation Officers in the smaller country towns. I have much pleasure in again placing on record the Department's appreciation of the valuable assistance given in this probation work by the large number of public-spirited citizens referred to above, for their help to probationers, and their co-operation with Probation Officers. I desire to record my gratitude to my own staff for their loyal co-operation, and also to the Salvation Army officers, Police officers, and others, who act as Probation Officers. B. L. Dallard, Chief Probation Officer.

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