Probation Service

Service Description

Probation service is a community-based programme whereby, in accordance with the Probation of Offenders Ordinance (Cap 298), an offender aged of or above 10 may be placed under the statutory supervision of a probation officer (PO) for a period of one to three years. PO provides statutory supervision and counselling service with utilisation of community resources to help probationers to reform, reintegrate into the society and become law-abiding citizens.

Target Group

The target group is offenders who

• are referred by court for social enquiry and/or suitability reports;
• are ordered by court to be put under probation supervision;
• have completed the probation order but are willing to receive voluntary supervision up to three months;
• are serving sentence in a prison and who have lodged a petition against the sentence or whose sentence is subject to review; or
• are referred by court for welfare assistance or other professional reports.

Nature of Service

• In serving the courts and the parties concerned, POs prepare pre-sentence reports including Probation Officer’s Reports, Community Service Orders Suitability Reports, and Background Reports, and other reports on long-term prisoners and petition cases and progress reports of the probationers;
• The services provided for the probationers include statutory supervision, personal guidance and family counselling through regular interviews, home visits, group work and other activities during their probation period; and
• To utilise community resources to handle the needs of offenders referred by court and, where necessary, those of their family members.

Information of Service Unit