The probation of offenders

Abstract

The probation officer must bring home to every child a feeling of the directing force of probation. The old type of loose and lifeless supervision which passed under the name of probation?permitting a boy to go for weeks without seeing his probation officer, to fail in his reports without being looked up?is being rapidly displaced by this positive "conception of probation as a vital, adjusting, educational force." Bearing this conception of probation in mind, I will shortly state how the problems of probation have been dealt with in England, and you will then be able to form your own conclusions as to how far these methods are applicable to Ireland or what modifications should be made to suit our peculiar problems, because it must be admitted that the type of young criminal in this country has entirely changed in recent years.