probation service annual report 2013

Transcription

PROBATION SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Probation Service Annual Report 2013
OUR MISSION
Effective rehabilitation of offenders
on community-based orders with
maximum participation of families
and the community.
CORE VALUES
PROBATION PROCESS
Accused pleads or is found guilty in Court
for offence.
Court refers offender to Probation Services
Branch (PSB) for a Pre-Sentence Report (PSR).
We believe in C.H.A.N.G.E.
Cultivate progressive culture
Honour integrity
♦ A spire to inspire
♦ Nurture collaborative relationships
♦ Grow capabilities
♦ Embrace respect
♦
♦
Probation Officer (PO) interviews offender,
family and gathers information from others.
PO submits PSR to Court with the
recommendations on offender’s suitability
for probation.
QUALITY POLICY
We commit to quality and excellent
service in the probation of offenders
and their rehabilitation in the
community.
If Court grants probation, offender will be
supervised by a PO. Duration and grade of
probation is dependant on risks and needs of
offender, and circumstances surrounding
the offence.
Court reviews offender’s progress after
6 months.
If progress is
satisfactory, Court
• allows probation to
continue; or
• grants early discharge
from probation.
Probation, if completed
successfully, does not
carry a conviction record.
If progress is
unsatisfactory, Court
• allows probation to
continue but may vary
Probation Order to
include additional
conditions; or
• revokes Probation Order
and deals with offender.
CONTENT
02
22
04
28
06
36
07
44
08
58
Our People
Director’s Message
Management Team
Probation Committee
Key Figures at a Glance
10
Rooted in Knowledge
A Systemic Approach
Branching Out
Turning over a New Leaf
Bearing Fruit
Other Community-Based
Programmes
62
Probation Programmes
our people
02
nurturing growth 03
director’s message
This piece of art done by a
probationer and his Probation
Officer captures the heart of
Probation Service – working
with the offender to use his
gift in developing a new life
for himself.
04
2013 proved a challenging yet fulfilling year for
Probation Service, with a significant shift in the
demographic and profile of offenders. Youths
assessed to be of a higher risk of re-offending were put
on probation, which led to an unprecedented number
of youth offenders placed in a hostel or on electronic
monitoring with intensive supervision. The complex
and varied risks and needs of probationers and their
families mimic the challenges they faced during the
journey of growth and change.
In Nurturing Growth, the theme of this Annual Report,
Probation Services’ key areas of focus in 2013 were
on rooting our officers in knowledge and skills; and
tapping on the potential of the systems embedded
within the community. Branching out, Probation
Service connected with new partners and longstanding stakeholders to organise various initiatives
to provide growth opportunities for the offenders.
In the transformational process, we discovered ability
and the potential for a better future. This is seen in the
piece of art on this page done by a probationer and
his Probation Officer. This also captures the heart of
Probation Service – working with the offender to use
his gift in developing a new life for himself. The essence
of partnerships for success is depicted in art done by
probationers, officers and partners throughout this
report, as well as in the feature interviews.
Finally, I am happy to share with you the new
beginnings of three young lives in the chapter
“Turning Over a New Leaf” which chronicles their
heart-warming journey of change. We hope that you
will be as inspired by their stories as we have been.
I look forward to the fruition of our endeavours with
your ongoing support as we move onward together.
Lee Kim Hua
Director
Rehabilitation and Protection Group
Ministry of Social and Family Development
nurturing growth 05
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Left to Right
Not in Photograph
Mr Gan Jin Yee – Assistant Director / Operations (Adult)
Ms Irene Cheng – Assistant Director / Professional Development and Resource Management,
and Diversionary Programmes
Ms Bernadette Alexander – Deputy Director, Chief Probation Officer
Ms Aileen Tan – Senior Assistant Director / Operations (Youth)
Ms Kathleen Leong – Assistant Director / Operations and Special Projects
Probation Service in Brief
The Probation Services Branch (PSB) is governed The principles of these programmes include:
by the Probation of Offenders Act and guided by
the Children and Young Persons Act and the UN ♦ Shaping positive belief systems resulting in
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
desirable changes in behaviour through regular
reporting, counselling and role-modelling;
Probation Service aims to help bring about positive ♦ Fostering social responsibility and empathy for
changes in offenders by supporting them and their
others through community service;
families during the probation period. Probation ♦ Cultivating resiliency by imparting social skills
presents a chance for offenders to make amends and
through education and various training initiatives;
become contributing members of the society. This is
and
done through regular supervision sessions and a host ♦ Building a strong and stable support network
of programmes targeted at addressing their offending
through educating and empowering family
behaviours and criminogenic needs.
members to be better equipped in responding to
probationers’ needs and risks.
06
PROBATION COMMITTEE 2013
Standing (Left to Right)
Seated (Left to Right)
Not in Photograph
Chairperson
Justice Tay Yong Kwang
Supreme Court
Members
Mr Tan Siong Thye1
Judicial Commissioner,
Supreme Court
Mr See Kee Oon
Chief District Judge,
Subordinate Courts
Mr Ong Hian Sun2
Senior District Judge,
Subordinate Courts
District Judge Lim Tse Haw, District Judge Edgar Foo, Mr Sekher Warrier,
Judicial Commissioner Tan Siong Thye, Justice Tay Yong Kwang, Mr Lee Kim Hua,
Chief District Judge See Kee Oon, Mr Soh Wai Wah
Ms Agnes Kew Oi Lan (representing Ms Grace Ng), Ms Bernadette Alexander,
Ms Frances Cheang, Ms Belinda Ang
District Judge Kessler Soh, Mr Paviter Singh, Ms Grace Ng, Senior District Judge
Ong Hian Sun
Mr Kessler Soh
District Judge,
Subordinate Courts
Mr Lim Tse Haw
District Judge,
Subordinate Courts
Mr Edgar Foo
District Judge /
Magistrate of the
Juvenile Court,
Family and Juvenile Court
Ms Belinda Ang
Advisor to the Juvenile Court
Ms Frances Cheang
Advisor to the Juvenile Court
Mr Lee Kim Hua
Director,
Rehabilitation and Protection
Group,
Ministry of Social and
Family Development
Mr Soh Wai Wah
Director,
Singapore Prison Service
Ms Grace Ng Wun Har
Deputy Director,
Guidance Branch
Ministry of Education
Mr Sekher Warrier
Assistant Director,
Criminal Investigation
Department
Singapore Police Force
Mr Paviter Singh
Chairperson,
Volunteer Probation Officer
Committee
Secretary
Ms Bernadette Alexander
Chief Probation Officer,
Ministry of Social and
Family Development
Judicial Commissioner Tan Siong Thye was the former Chief District Judge. He was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the
Supreme Court on 1 October 2013. With his new appointment as Judicial Commissioner, he relinquished his appointment with
the Probation Committee with effect from 1 October 2013.
1
Mr Ong Hian Sun was appointed a member of the Probation Committee with effect from 1 October 2013.
2
nurturing growth
07
KEY
FIGURES
835
cases placed on probation in 2013
AT A GLANCE
21%
of all new cases placed in hostel (up from
15% in 2012) and 19% placed on electronic
monitoring (consistent with 2012)
963
offenders discharged from
probation in 2013
PROBATION SERVICES
BRANCH
HOS TEL
08
60% (500)
of new cases placed on intensive or
split (intensive-supervised) probation.
This was more than the 51% (476)
of new cases in 2012
93%
of new Juvenile cases
placed on intensive or split
(intensive supervised) probation
PROBATION SERVICES
BRANCH
83%
of offenders completed probation
successfully in 2013
16
offenders were granted early discharge
from probation for good progress
nurturing growth 09
rooted in
knowledge
Roots provide support and continually
nourish the growth of the tree.
Investing in our staff “what works”
in the rehabilitation of offenders
and evaluation of programmes
aim to enhance productivity and
bring about positive changes in
offenders. Being grounded in
knowledge and having a repertoire
of skills will enable us to guide,
support and nurture the people
we work with.
Training
Good Lives Model
Number of “Primary Goods”
identified in the Good
Lives Model that people
strive for. These include
Knowledge, Relatedness
and Excellence at Play
The Good Lives Model (GLM)
is a strengths-based approach
to offender rehabilitation. It is
premised on the notion that building
capabilities allows offenders to
achieve their goals (Goods) in
life through positive ways, thus
reducing their risk of re-offending.
From 2 to 5 September 2013,
Dr. Tony Ward, developer of the
GLM was invited to conduct
two training sessions for staff.
Dr. Ward presented on the essence
of the model followed by the 11
proposed “Goods” that make
up an individual’s quality of life.
Through role-plays and case study
discussions, officers practised using
the model as well as other supportive
tools formulated by Dr. Ward.
12
While
Probation
Service’s
approach to offender rehabilitation
has been largely aligned with the
GLM concept, the structured GLM
case management framework was
first used for selected high-risk
youth offenders in 2012. Given the
encouraging outcomes for such
cases and with all officers trained,
case management for all youth
probationers would be guided by
the GLM structure from 2014.
Common Life Goals
There is a set of life goals
consisting of 11 primary goods
that are common to most people.
The importance that people place
on each goal helps define what
matters most in their lives.
rooted in knowledge
PRIMARY GOOD
DEFINITION
EXAMPLES OF GOOD
Life
Incorporates all the physical needs and
Physical exercise such as jogging, being diet
factors that are important for healthy living
conscious, preparing healthy meals, managing
and optimal physical functioning
one’s own finances to ensure basic needs are
met, meditating, or taking yoga classes
Knowledge
How well informed one feels on matters that
Asking questions, adopting certain belief
concern them
systems, studying at university, belonging to a
discussion group, or taking lessons to acquire
a new skill
Excellence in play
Accomplishments or enjoyment associated
Participating in competitive and social team
with leisure activities or recreational pursuits
and individual sporting competitions, having
hobbies, going to the movies and socialising
with friends
Excellence in work
Enjoyable work including mastery experiences
Participating in meaningful paid employment,
meaningful volunteer work, self-employment,
undergoing apprenticeships, and professional
development courses
Excellence in agency
Autonomy and self-directedness
Engaging in assertive actions and self-reflection
Inner Peace
Freedom from emotional turmoil and stress
Listening to music, talking to others, meditation,
counselling or physical exercise
Relatedness
Close, caring relationships with an intimate
May include heterosexual or homosexual
partner, family members and close friends
romantic
relationships,
close
family
relationships, or friendships
Community
Connectedness to others in broader social
Belonging to social service groups, rotary,
groups or communities
or special interest groups of some kind
(e.g. a political party, a sporting club, a craft
group, book club, nature / wildlife group or
religious affiliations)
Spirituality
Pleasure
The broad sense of finding meaning and
Belonging to a church, spiritual group, studying
purpose in life
philosophy, or environmental association
The emotional sense of feeling good in the
Enjoyment of food, massage or sport where the
present time – the state of happiness
goal sought is at least partly a feeling of deep
contentment or pleasure
Creativity
Expressing one’s self through alternative forms
Gardening, woodwork, painting, attending art
exhibitions, solving problems, devising new
methods of doing, playing an instrument, etc
nurturing growth
13
Theoretical Frameworks and
Clinical Supervision
24 HRS
Minimum number of hours
of Clinical Supervision
a Probation Officer will
receive in first year
of service
In the push towards strengthening
clinical supervision in probation
practice, Probation Service engaged
Dr. Pauline Meemeduma, Head
of the Social Work Programme
at Edith Cowan University, to
provide structured training for
all officers and supervisory staff.
She conducted two runs of the
three-day Theoretical Frameworks
training for all Probation Officers
and one run of Clinical Supervision
Skills for supervisors in September
and October 2013.
In the Theoretical Frameworks
training, officers re-visited core
theories in social work and
psychology; and put their
knowledge to practice while
working through case studies. For
the supervisors, Dr. Meemeduma
imparted skills and techniques in
providing guidance to supervisees
for their professional development.
14
Theoretical knowledge
and clinical supervision
are essential in assessing
the range of complexity
of a case and the depth
of complexity. There is no
such thing as a simple case
in practice. Each offender
needs to be understood
based on his / her life
history, factors that trigger
and reinforce offending
behaviour, and how
societal disadvantage
works to reinforce, in highly
complex and subtle ways,
the likelihood of recidivism.
~ Dr Pauline Meemeduma
rooted in knowledge
Service Learning
VPO Enrichment
The Service Learning framework
was piloted in April 2012 to enrich
the community service experience
for both offenders and partners.
The process involved working
alongside offenders to chart
objectives of their service as well
as their learning on Community
Service Order (CSO). This allowed
continual reflection and review of
their community service journey,
giving structure and clarity to
its purpose.
On 28 September 2013, 61 VPOs
and 90 staff attended the annual
VPO
Enrichment
Workshop
featuring Mr. David King, founder
of the social enterprise, Ministry
of Empowerment.
Mr King, a former secret society
member, spent eight years behind
bars for gang-related activities. The
experience of prison motivated
him to turn his life around. Upon
completion of the GCE “N”, “O”
and “A” Levels in prison school, he
In the push towards instilling went on to graduate from Singapore
probationers with a greater sense Management University.
of ownership and purpose while
performing community service, Drawing on his personal journey,
ideas
on
goal-setting,
Service Learning principles were his
integrated in placement as well befriending and engagement
as in the Community Service inspired the audience. They felt
Order review report. Following that his sharing had a touch of
the Service Learning training for realism which was refreshing. A
all Community Service Officers in volunteer described the session as
2012, a selected group of Volunteer “an opportunity to recharge”. The
Probation Officer (VPOs) were workshop was a success not just in
trained by Touch Community providing new insights but it also
rekindled the passion in working
Services in 2013.
with probationers.
Thirty-one volunteers participated
in discussions, presentations and
activities aimed at introducing
them to the concepts of Service
Learning. They enjoyed the
interactive session and several
volunteers signed up to assist
Community Service Officers in the
implementation of planned CSO
projects for the rest of 2013.
Probationers are captains
of their ships and we
are like the navigators
who help to guide the
ships to the right course.
I could use the sharing
by Mr David King and
my own experiences to
encourage probationers
to focus on their strengths
and move on with life to
change for the better. At
the same time, I try to
be an active listener and
communicate with them
non-judgmentally and
provide affirmations to
encourage them.
~ VPO Saravanan Renganathan
41
Number of years of service
by our longest serving VPO
nurturing growth
15
Insights from Abroad The symposium provided an in
opportunity for these officers to
Keeping abreast of current learn and exchange perspectives
probation practices and networking with their counterparts in the region
with
probation
counterparts on youth offender rehabilitation
beyond geographical borders has initiatives.
brought about new ways of working
ASEAN Plus 3 Conference
with offenders.
on Probation and
International Symposium on
Non-Custodial Measures
Offenders’ Rehabilitation: “A
In April 2013, Chief Probation
Quest for New Frontiers”
Officer Ms Bernadette Alexander
During the symposium held in and a Senior Probation Officer
March 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand, were invited to attend this
a Senior Probation Officer and two conference organised by the
senior officers from the Central Department of Probation, Ministry
Youth Guidance Office and Juvenile of Justice, Thailand.
Homes Branch presented a paper
on contemporary developments Ms Alexander presented a paper on
in policies and practices in youth the probation system in Singapore,
offender rehabilitation in Singapore. which outlined the developments
16
the
probation
system,
challenges faced and strategies to
provide a responsive communitybased rehabilitation programme.
The workshop
presentation
on Technology in Probation:
Strengthen. Integrate. Connect.
provided an overview on how
technology is harnessed as a
tool to strengthen the Probation
Order for offenders on probation,
enhance productivity, inform policy
and programming and enhance
professional development of staff.
The conference was a step towards
establishing stronger partnerships
and networks for closer ties among
the ASEAN Plus 3 countries to share
experiences and best practices
on community-based offender
rehabilitation programmes.
rooted in knowledge
World Congress on Probation 2013
In October 2013, two Senior
Probation Officers, together with
a Psychologist from the Clinical
and Forensic Psychology Branch,
attended the inaugural World
Congress on Probation 2013.
They also visited six agencies
including the Youth Offending
Teams, a Probation Trust office
and community-agencies running
sports programmes for youthat-risk. One of the key takeaways
was the practical application
of the Good Lives Model in
the case management of youth
offenders. This has informed the
integration of the model in the
current Probation Service case
management framework.
Interview
with
Assistant
Manager, Loy Siang Meng who
attended the World Congress
on Probation 2013
were validated by the industry
experts and were consistent
with the established probation
offices around the world.
Through the agency visits, we
The conference saw the coming also gained insights on ways to
together of world experts in the strengthen rehabilitation work in
field of offender rehabilitation. various aspects.
It was an excellent platform to
gain new perspectives and learn I am confident that the networks
“what works”.
and new friendships forged
with others in our field would
I was heartened to learn that be valuable relationships as
the Branch’s current practice we continue to move ahead in
and
rehabilitation
models this work.
nurturing growth
17
Programme
Evaluation
On
12
December
2013,
the
Branch’s
Programme
Development,
Research
and
Evaluation Unit held the inaugural
Programme Evaluation sharing
session to present the findings of
six evaluation studies conducted
within the year. Attended by senior
officers, the presentations raised
pertinent questions and new
insights surrounding what works in
programming for youth offenders.
Officers appreciated the value of
evaluation in delivering a robust
and effective probation service.
Findings of two key programmes
are presented below.
Motivating Offenders to Rethink Everything (M.O.R.E)3
Built upon the encouraging
preliminary findings from the
2012 pilot runs of M.O.R.E, a
more comprehensive evaluation
of four runs of the programme
was carried out in 2013. Improved
meta-cognitive awareness and
learning to exercise better control
WHAT IS THE
M.O.R.E PROGRAMME ABOUT?
METACOGNITION:
THINKING ABOUT THINKING
THESE INCLUDE:
Perspective
Taking
Challenging Maladaptive
Self-Talk
over their situations increased
the probationers’ motivation in
a few areas: to attend further
programmes,
to
improve
themselves and to remain
constructively engaged. Realisation
that they had many choices in life
was empowering and it encouraged
them to think before acting.
These positive outcomes paved the
way for six runs of the programme
in 2013, which involved more than
40 probationers in the early stage
of their probation journey.
Motivation
to Change
Developed by T3 Associates in Canada, M.O.R.E is a four-session programme that aims to encourage probationers to re-think
how they view and respond to situations.
3 18
rooted in knowledge
WHAT IS THE
REASONING AND REACTING
PROGRAMME ABOUT?
TEACHING HOW TO THINK,
NOT WHAT TO THINK
I was able to
sustain my job as a
restaurant waiter
and refrained from
losing my temper
by seeing things
from my supervisor’s
perspective.
THESE INCLUDE:
~ Probationer
Managing
Emotions
Connecting
Thinking & Behaviour
Reasoning and Reacting4
Following the positive feedback on
the pilot runs conducted in 2012,
seven runs of the Reasoning and
Reacting programme were carried
out in 2013.
The emphasis on “how to think”
helps the probationers reason
and deliberate their thought
processes. This encourages the
development of a pro-social
mindset as observed by their new
self-talk and improved behaviours.
Probationers reported improved
awareness of their thinking after
they were taught how to “catch
their thoughts”. They shared that
Problem Solving
Skills
Learning to be
Assertive and
Interpersonal Skills
the programme enabled them to
see situations differently, change
their thinking and make better
decisions. Using evaluation tools
to assess their problem solving and
decision-making skills as well as
communication and relationship
management showed increased
ability in these areas. The Youth
Level of Service / Case Management
Inventory also showed a reduction
in the assessed risk of re-offending
in the majority of the probationers.
By equipping probationers with
appropriate response solutions to
risky situations, the programme
enabled
them
to
change
perspectives, leading to better
management of their lives.
The programme
taught me life skills,
to be fair to myself
and others and to
manage and analyse
my problems.
~ Probationer
I learnt different
ways of controlling
my anger.
~ Probationer
Reasoning and Reacting is a three month-long intensive cognitive skills programme that replaces the current syllabus for the
Periodic Training Order.
4 nurturing growth
19
Study 1
INSIGHT inTO
YOUTH OFFENDING
IN SINGAPORE
2011
DURATION
OF STUDY
Background
2012
Tailoring intervention for effective
rehabilitation of probationers
requires understanding of
their risk of offending and
criminogenic needs.
RNR
RISK, NEED,
RESPONSIBILITY
RISK
Matching intervention to the
offender’s risk of offending
NEED
Targeting the criminogenic needs
RESPONSIVITY
Tailoring intervention with
consideration to the special needs
of the offender
2002
YLS/CMI
Since 2002, PSB has been using
the Youth Level of Service / Case
Management inventory. It assesses
the risk of re-offending by offenders
18 years and below within the RNR
framework.
CRRP
2011
CFPB
CENTRE
FOR RESEARCH ON
REHABILITATION AND
PROTECTION
CLINICAL AND
FORENSIC
PSYCHOLOGY BRANCH
FINDINGS
Static Domains
Prior and current offences by
offenders
Dynamic Domains
i)Family Circumstances /
Parenting
ii) Education / Employment
iii)Attitudes and Orientations
Other prominent needs and special
considerations
i)Conduct and oppositional
defiant disorder
ii) Gang involvement
2STRENGTHS THAT REDUCE
THE RISK OF VIOLATIONS
FAMILY
PSB
PROBATION
SERVICES BRANCH
Since 2011, PSB, CFPB and CRRP have
been working together to gain insights
into youth offending in Singapore.
20
1PREDICTORS OF VIOLATIONS
The RNR model is one of the most
widely used frameworks in offender
rehabilitation.
EDUCATION
LEISURE
rooted in knowledge
Study 2
2012
3264 YOUTHS
who were issued with Probation
Orders from 2004 to 2008
DURATION
OF STUDY
SAMPLE
1Examining the risks and
determinants of youth offending
2Discerning the predictive validity
of the YLS/CMI
AIMS
3 GENDER DIFFERENCES
2013
Offenders issued with Probation
Orders from August 2011 onwards
SAMPLE
a.Younger at the start of probation orders.
b.Greater criminogenic risk and needs as compared to males.
FEMALE
Phase 1 of a Prospective study
AIMS
c.Higher needs on the domains of family
circumstances, peer relations and
substance abuse.
d.More likely to have experienced significant
family trauma, family history of drug abuse,
and encounter higher rates of inhalant, drug
and alcohol abuse as well as higher rates
of victimisation.
e.Predictors of violations by females:
Violations by females are largely influenced
by prior and current offences, family and
current offences, family circumstances /
parenting, individual attitudes.
a.More likely to have had history
of aggressive behavior such as
physical and or sexual assault as
well as bullying.
MALE
b.Predictors of violations by males:
Financial and accommodation problems, gang involvement, self-management and
under-achievement issues.
1 Increase in risk profile
FINDINGS
i)Preliminary results suggested
that more of the higher risk
offenders were being placed on
Probation Order in the recent
years.
2004/2005
2011/2012
ii)Moving forward – The study
will continue to examine deeper
risk profiles of these offenders
and those placed on probation
from 2012 onwards.
2Norming of YLS/CMI to
local context
2013 also saw the updating
of Singapore norms for male
probationers and the release of
the female norms.
nurturing growth
21
a systemic
approach
The stem is the backbone that supports
the entire structure of the tree.
Building a strong network
with stakeholders and the
community is essential for
successful rehabilitation.
Such partnerships support
probation practice and
help probationers and their
families to have sustainable
change in their lives.
SHARING BY ATTORNEYGENERAL’S CHAMBERS
AND LAW SOCIETY
Attorney-General’s Chambers
and Law Society’s sharing with
Probation Service
Connections with entities of the
legal system were strengthened
in 2013. On 15 August 2013,
representatives from the AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers and the Law
Society shared their perspectives
on legal issues in offender
management, namely on recent
trends and legal frameworks
regarding property theft and
unlicensed money-lending.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers
also shared about recent initiatives
to enhance diversionary measures
for youth who commit minor
offences. Feedback on Probation
Service’s service delivery and
quality of reports were provided.
24
The session ended with an
engaging exchange with the panel
which helped all parties to find that
delicate balance between serving
justice and restoring lives.
Sharing with the
Subordinate Courts
Probation Service was invited
to share with judicial officers
on the latest approaches and
issues in probation practice on
10 October 2013.
Attended by close to 30
judicial officers, the session
provided
a
platform
for
conversation on the strategic
direction of Probation Service and
the impact on the legal landscape.
The judicial officers praised the
professionalism
of
Probation
Officers and spoke positively about
the comprehensiveness of the
reports submitted to Court and the
rigor in offender case management.
TOP
3
OFFENCES
Theft and Related,
Unlawful Assembly, and
Voluntarily Causing Hurt
965
Number of PSR Referrals
a sytemic approach
CONNECTING WITH
HOSTEL PARTNERS
Probation
Service’s
close
partnership with hostels has
enabled higher risk youth offenders
who require a semi-structured
environment to be placed on
probation.
Through
co-case
management, more than half of
our highest-risk youth probationers
successfully completed probation.
The annual Probation Service –
Hostel event serves to deepen
the
connection
through Representatives from the various
hostels thereafter shared their
meaningful conversations.
practice and innovative approaches
In December 2013, Probation in working with probationers
Service and hostel partners came and their families. The highlight
together to talk about how to of the programme was the live
“L.E.A.D” (Learn from each other, testimony by an ex-probationer
Engage with each other, Affirm one who shared the impact of a
another to keep the Drive within positive hostel experience on his
journey of change.
alive).
Senior Assistant Director, Ms.
Aileen Tan, started the conversation
by sharing on the value of
the
therapeutic
relationship.
Patience, carry
on with them,
never give up.
~ Hope House
1
IN
FIVE
Probationers placed
in hostels
Feeling affirmed and inspired,
the event left many reflecting on
the impact of their work on those
under their care.
Whatever we’re doing, we
are planting seeds into
their lives. Believe that
people can change, so we
should try and try harder.
~ Singapore Boys’ Hostel
The most important factor is to get them
engaged in work / school. One of our girls
finished her diploma while she was with
us. When they leave, they are leaving
with either a certificate or a continual
education opportunity, which will keep
them driven towards their goals in life.
~ Residence @ St. George’s
nurturing growth
25
NETWORKING
WITH COMMUNITY
SERVICE AGENCIES
118
Average number
of hours ordered
115
Number of CSO Agencies
26
Agencies providing community
service placements play an
important role in developing social
responsibility in offenders.
Recognising
the
agencies’
commitment and the value of
capacity building, two runs of
Community Service Networking
(C-NET) sessions were organised
in 2013. The first run of the C-NET
sessions was held on 17 and 24
July 2013, which featured a volunteer
management training workshop
conducted by Ms. Lam Moi Yin.
Twenty-seven agencies attended
the two sessions and were taught
skills in engaging not just the
probationers effectively but their
volunteers as well.
The second run was held on
27 November and 4 December
2013, where agencies shared their
approaches in connecting with
probationers. Probationers who
had done outstanding work at
these agencies were also invited to
share their invaluable experiences.
The
agencies
found
the
interaction beneficial in deepening
relationships
with
Probation
Service and many were moved by
the probationers’ heartfelt sharing.
a sytemic approach
PARTNERING WITH
VOLUNTEER PROBATION
OFFICERS
Probation Service began the
Volunteer Probation Officer (VPO)
scheme in June 1971. More than
30 years on, volunteers continue to
work tirelessly alongside Probation
Officers in carrying out PSB’s
mission – to rehabilitate offenders
with maximum participation of
the community.
The 221 VPOs complement
the work of Probation Officers
and
Community
Service
Officers in a variety of ways;
in
mentoring
(Befrienders),
facilitating Community Service
projects (Comserv), liaising with
schools (School Liaison Network
Programme), conducting physical
curfew
checks
(Operation
Night Watch) as well as in
conducting programmes.
The simple task of providing
transportation to and from the
care centre and his home twice a
week gave them the opportunity
to get to know Ryan’s story. Their
warmth and concern put him at
ease. He started to share about
his troubled past and spoke of his
aspirations for the future. Sharing
his passion for cars, they collected
magazine pictures of cars and
engaged him in many spirited
conversations which brought them
closer together. Realising that they
cared, he patiently listened to
their advice on the importance of
behaving well.
Volunteering is in my blood
since schooldays. I realised
that there are many
unfortunate families who
need help of some kind.
~ Vivien
Couple Vivien and Mark have
served as volunteers since 1999
and have supported numerous
offenders to turn their lives around.
So when 12-year-old Ryan (not his
real name) was about to be ordered
to reside at the Singapore Boys’
Home for persistently breaching
his probation conditions due to
the lack of home support, Vivien
and Mark were approached to
help Ryan.
nurturing growth
27
branching
out
Supported by the stem, branches stretch
out to get as much sunlight as possible for
the plant’s nourishment and growth.
There is continual effort to
create opportunities for youth
engagement – to enhance family
life, widen positive social circles
and build capabilities; to help
these youths lead productive and
meaningful lives.
Embracing the Family
Through the interactive play, both
children and parents were given
Interactive Forum Theatre Play:
the opportunity to critique and
“Anakku Sayang”
suggest changes to the characters’
actions.
This
encouraged
Probation Service was first ownership of personal well-being
introduced to Forum Theatre5 and control over the situations
through a mass mental resilience affecting their lives.
awareness event held by the
Health Promotion Board. Using The probationers and their parents
this medium as a unique way to felt that the scenes in the play
engage families, Probation Service, were reflective of their experiences.
together with Health Promotion They acquired alternative ideas in
Board and Asia Works put together dealing with their relationships at
an exclusive Forum Theatre play for home and felt motivated to change
Malay Muslim probationers and their communication style with
parents on 14 September 2013. each other. With the encouraging
Titled “Anakku Sayang” or “My response, selected probationers
Dear Child”, the play portrayed and families will have the chance
the life of a Malay family and their to participate in more Forum
challenges in raising their children. Theatre programmes in 2014.
60%
Of offenders came from
nuclear (2-parent) families
In an interactive Forum Theatre play, a story is acted out twice. Uninterrupted the first time, the play’s second run invites the
audience to participate in intervals between different scenes. Within these intervals, guests are able to make decisions in the
place of characters and are thus given the power to change the outcome of situations.
5 30
branching out
Caring for the Elderly
A pilot project was conducted in
2012 to train probationers to better
engage persons with intellectual
disabilities. The success of the
pilot paved the way for further
specialised training to enhance the
community service experience for
agencies and probationers.
In 2013, 11 probationers were
trained by New Horizon Centre
to communicate with elderly
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Seven others were trained by Metta
Day Rehabilitation Centre for the
Elderly to respond to the needs of
and improve communication with
senior citizens.
The probationers involved in the
project shared that the skills they
learnt increased their ability and
confidence in serving the elderly.
These skills were demonstrated
in Project Fish where a group of
probationers, together with VPOs,
organised a fishing outing to Bottle
Tree Park for 15 senior citizens. The
outing was elder-centric, enjoyable
and well received.
Serving the seniors as part of their
Community Service Order has
brought about new perspectives
and a change in mindset of the
probationers towards the older
generation. Many brought these
attitudes and skills into their
families and altered the way they
interact with their elderly relatives.
Reflections on Community
Service – A Probationer’s
perspective
Describe
your
CSO
experience and what you
learnt.
During my CSO I would wake
up before my alarm sounds
because it is fun to be there
with clients and staff; they
are friendly and are very
genuine. I learned to be more
responsible; being punctual
for CSO was never a problem
for me.
Tell us more about the
Community Service Club
that you set up at school.
Because my school was
still new, it had only seven
CCAs. One day, my lecturer
called me while I was doing
community service. This
gave us the idea of setting
up a Community Service
Club in school and the club
was inaugurated in August of
2013. After a successful event
with the Singapore Christian
Home, we attracted many
students to take part in this
CCA and after a period of
recruitment the club is now
the largest CCA in school.
nurturing growth
31
Reflections on Community In fact, one of the ex-probationers
Service
–
An
Agency’s who had been terminated by me
perspective
came back to help me!
Is there one or two cases that
stand out in your mind?
There was this boy, who was
quite rough and rowdy when
With such strong rapport you have he started, very “Ah Beng” with
with the probationers, do you have tattoos. We spoke with him,
some who open up to you?
counselled him and eventually,
Yes, I do. I’ve got some who we employed him! He’s doing
open up so much that they would his national service now but we
seek my advice on managing the told him that he can come back
problems they face.
to join us after he finishes.
Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan
Hospital is an agency that
provides community service
placements to probationers.
The
hospital
provides
rehabilitative care for its
patients. Below is an interview
with Mohamad Sharil Bin Abdul
Rahim, Executive, Volunteer I do have parents coming up to
Management, AMK-THKH.
me and telling me that their son
has changed, partly due to my
Do you have probationers who influence and I am very touched.
come back to volunteer after It gives me a lot of fulfilment, that
their placement?
I’m not only helping my patients
Yes, we do have probationers but the probationers as well.
who come back to volunteer
after their placement because And many of the probationers tell
I have forged a friendship me that they want to spend time
with them.
with me after they finish probation.
32
Not many agencies would be
willing to do that. I really salute
my management for taking
that step, for believing that
probationers can change.
branching out
social landscape
Saying “No” to Drugs
2013 saw the evolution of the
traditional anti-drug talk into
a
multi-approach
interactive
workshop for probationers who
had been exposed to recreational
drugs. In partnership with the
Central Narcotics Bureau, two halfday workshops for 20 probationers
were conducted during the school
vacation period.
were encouraged to participate
in follow-up sports and arts
programmes to learn a new skill
and make new positive friends.
Project Kickstart
In collaboration with Tanjong
Pagar United Football Club, weekly
training sessions by the coaches
were invaluable in providing 20
probationers with technical skills in
soccer, enabling them to compete
and achieve in the game.
The
programme
helped
probationers
recognise
that
dabbling in drugs would put roadblocks on their journey towards
their goals in life. They were made
more aware of the consequences of
drug abuse and the significant role
their peers played in their choices.
The sense of achievement
motivated positive behavior, which
was required for them to remain
in the programme. The consistent
positive engagement provided an
avenue to forge new friendships
and foster a positive attitude
towards change.
Through discussions and roleplays, they learnt and practiced
ways to refuse their peers when
under pressure. The participants
The collaboration also created
the opportunity for talented
probationers to be scouted for the
Club’s youth teams.
30%
of offenders placed on
Probation in 2013 had
history of drug, inhalant
and / or alcohol abuse
nurturing growth
33
Interview with Dinesh (not his real name), a participant in
Project Kickstart
How did you feel about being
part of Project Kickstart?
It was fun and we learnt lots of
things. Though we all had bad
pasts and were from different
sides of life, we could come
together to know each other
well and communicate as a
team. This was not something
I realised about football even
though I had been playing for
so long.
What did you learn?
I learnt about teamwork and
communication. You can’t
go onto the field playing on
your own, football is about
the team. A good thing about
the programme is that we
don’t see who is better; we
see everyone as one and play
as a team, motivating each
other and helping each other
play their best.
This is a helpful path for us
to change. Because we love
to play soccer, it is good that
we spend time playing soccer
together rather than doing other
things outside.
The programme also helped
me realise that discipline is
important. For example, I learnt
to come on time.
Previously Dinesh loved to
play football but often his
involvement in football got
him into trouble. Kickstart
gave Dinesh a chance to
enjoy his soccer game and
learn positive values at the
same time.
~ Dinesh’s Mother
Based on the Good Lives
Model, Dinesh has a strong
need for Excellence at Play
and Kickstart helped to
fulfil this. He was more
enthusiastic and open
during reporting sessions
especially when it came
to speaking of Kickstart.
It helped to set the mood
for the reporting sessions
and allowed for more
open discussions.
~ Dinesh’s Probation Officer
34
branching out
Investing in
the future
Crafting a Career
In 2013, the Ministry’s Vocational
and Reintegration Support Unit
(VRU) offered short taster courses
in new areas such as healthcare,
technical theatre and logistics,
which provided probationers the
opportunity to gain Workforce
Skills Qualifications (WSQ) in
the long run. Probationers also
attended job fairs where they were
placed with major employers in
the retail and food and beverage
industries, amongst others.
With a belief in wanting to expose
the youth to new interests and
unearth their potential, auditions
and performance training by
industry professionals, such as
Sheik Haikel, were organised.
These activities cumulated in two
seasons of VRU’s flagship event,
Talent Cafe.
The Making of an Entrepreneur –
Project Inspire
Partnership with the National
Institute of Education and
Towner
Gardens
School
(a school for persons with
intellectual disabilities) provided
a two-month exposure programme
for probationers to learn and
experience entrepreneurship.
project for the school. In the
process,
probationers
learnt
to market products, work and
communicate with others and
experience interacting with the
clients from the school. Aside from
learning skills in entrepreneurship,
they developed empathy and a
sense of responsibility; important
lessons to sustain a viable business
in the future. The probationers
commented that experiencing the
success of entrepreneurship made
them keener to pursue further
achievements in life.
Twelve probationers, two Volunteer
Probation Officers and trainee
teachers set up and operated a
booth selling craft items at the
school as part of a fundraising
nurturing growth
35
turning over
a new leaf
Drawing energy from the sun and using its resources,
leaves manufacture food to nourish the tree.
Successful rehabilitation is
more than just completing
probation; it is about the
fruition of a new lifestyle.
This chapter features the
voices of probationers6
whose lives were touched
and transformed during their
probation journey.
6
Names of the probationers featured in this chapter have been changed to protect their identities.
Haris – My Pillars of Strength
When I was in Secondary Three,
my friend called me one night to
meet him and to bring a parang
along. When I heard the other
guy say to my friend, “If you’re
good enough, why don’t you
hack me?”, I confronted the guy
and hacked him twice in the
head before running off.
I had entered Secondary One in
the first class in express stream,
but felt I did not fit in. My
education plunged downwards.
My friends were people who had
no regard for the law; they were
outgoing and bold. I even joined
a gang. Even after my offence,
I was not afraid. I continued
to be aggressive and violent in
school and was also involved in
a theft case.
It was only when I went to Court
for the rioting offence that I
became really scared, as I was
not sure of what was going
to happen to me. The judge
wanted to send me to Singapore
Boy’s Home for two years,
but decided to place me on a
30-month probation, including
nine months in the Singapore
Boys’ Hostel.
In the hostel, I was surprised
to find that many of the boys
knew about my case and gang
traditions, so I was very well
taken care of. Nobody tried to
mess around with me. I became
bolder and continued to break
hostel rules, although I was
careful not to be caught.
38
The turning point came when
my mother became really sick.
I thought to myself: “What if
anything was to happen to her and
I was inside? I was the only one
capable of taking care of her and
the one she looked up to, to give
the whole family a better life”. I
decided that things had to change.
On one occasion when I was in the
office of the hostel director, Mr Nic,
I saw a book titled “The Servant” by
James Hunter. The book was about
change. I borrowed the book from
him, as I had an interest in books.
I recall an incident in the hostel
where I was kicked in the face.
If I had retaliated with everyone
watching me, I would have started
a riot in the hostel. But when I was
kicked, I thought about my mum’s
sacrifices and how long more I had
on probation. I kept my cool and
chose to talk to the person instead.
Based on how I was thinking during
the incident, how I had responded
instead of reacted, I realised that I
was really capable of changing.
I stopped hanging around with
my old group of friends, making
excuses to avoid meeting them. As
time passed, my relationship with
them became distant and I spent
more time with my family.
turning over a new leaf
Both Mr Nic and my mum have
been my pillars of strength. I was
going through a lot of struggles,
such as finding new friends, trying
to become someone I was not
comfortable with and this made
me feel very lost.
My mum raised me singlehandedly
without much support. She worked
multiple odd jobs just to support
us. When her health deteriorated, I
considered leaving school to work
instead. However, she told me not
to lose focus on my education.
The small things she did such as a
simple meal or asking me how my
day was really kept me going.
As for Mr Nic, we spoke a lot
in the hostel. He showed me
affection and love even though I’m
a probationer and of a different
race. He looked beyond my past
and flaws. He encouraged me to
have a plan and to work towards
accomplishing something in life.
That’s when I picked myself up
and started working on my goals.
He has given me lots of strength.
This strength is enough to keep
me going and that fire won’t stop.
Throughout my journey, there
were many people and experiences
that have helped me to become
the person I am today. Many of
my teachers showed me lots of
concern. They treated me with
respect, even though I was in
the system.
I realise that the greatest battle
is not with other people, but
with me. As I look back at how
I was back then and how well
I’m doing now, I don’t even
recognise myself.
~
Haris completed probation
successfully in 2013 and also
attained his GCE “O” Levels.
Today, at age 18, he is pursuing
a diploma in Counselling
They gave me a perspective on how
to view myself and my situation.
Speaking to them, as well as to many
other people, helped me find myself.
nurturing growth
39
Mike – Achieving, Leading and
Serving
At the age of 13, I sat at coffee
shops in Geylang with gang
members everyday and visited
pubs, karaoke lounges, LAN
gaming shops and billiard
saloons with them. I did not
attend school for almost two
years. I usually returned home
about 3am and once I got home,
I would shout at my parents
who shouted back at me. The
next day, I spent my time in
Geylang again and the same
thing happened.
40
One day, my friend told me that
there was an easy way to earn
money. We were instructed by an
“Ah Long” to splash paint at three
houses for $50 each. We armed
ourselves with a parang each and
after splashing paint at the 3rd
house, we were arrested.
At 15 years of age, I was forced to
return to Secondary One Normal
(Academic) after I was placed on
an 18-month probation. It was
really tough. My form teacher
called my Probation Officer every
week to complain about me
because I argued with teachers,
tried to skip lessons and refused to
join a CCA. My Probation Officer
helped me to understand why
what I did was wrong and told me
to speak nicely to my teachers to
avoid unnecessary trouble. Things
improved after that.
I attended many programmes
including
Reasoning
and
Reacting (RNR) programme and
Y-Confidence Programme. I learnt
to say “no” to negative friends who
called me names and provoked
me to hang out with them. I liked
the Y-confidence programme so
much that I went back to YMCA
turning over a new leaf
What I was last time
What I am this time
I usually argue with my mother at home all
the time
Now I seldom argue with my mother because
now I know that whatever she do is for my
own good
I usually sleep very late at night about 1am – 2am,
thus making myself waking up late
Now during school days I sleep at 11pm , so
that I can wake up in time and fully concentrate
in class
I usually take a long time to go down for my
meals, thus causing myself to get scolded
Now I go down promptly for my meals because I
do not want people to wait for me
I always bully my younger sister and scolding her
for no reason
Now I learn to care for my younger sister
because as an elder brother I must do my part
I like to keep my hair and nail very long causing
my mother to nag at me
Now I like to keep my hair and nails short
because is more cooling and I won’t look
so haggard
I used to talk back to my 3rd brother who is also
my roommate
Now I usually listen to my brother because I
know that whatever he say is for my own good
I usually come home very late at night at
3am – 4am
Now I come home early all the time even though
my curfew is 9pm – 6am, I always come back
before dinner time to have dinner with my family
Excerpt from Mike’s presentation to the Juvenile Court Judge during his Court Review
to volunteer. I felt that the things
we did during the programme
like helping the elderly were very
meaningful. I also completed my
120 hours of community service at
an old folks’ home.
probation, there was a review of
my progress in Court. I was given
a commendation by the Juvenile
Court for my good progress. This
really motivated me to continue to
improve myself.
I began to have a close relationship
with my teachers and discipline
master in school. They appointed
me to be the class monitor. I
started to do well in my exams and
achieved the top five position in
class. My Probation Officer gave
me study tips and encouraged
me to keep up my good results.
Six months after being on
I do not hang out in Geylang or
LAN game shops any more. I play
basketball with my elder brothers,
jog and play soccer. I continue to
achieve the top five position in
class after probation.
advise them on classroom
management. I have joined the
Community Service Club as my
CCA and I helped out in the
Kindness Movement and an old
folks’ home. Recently, I was also
awarded an Edusave Scholarship
for good results and conduct. I
aim to do well for my GCE “N”
levels next year and achieve
direct admission to a Diploma
course to study finance. I hope
to go to university and be a
banker in the future.
Currently, I am still a class
monitor and I am leading a team ~ Mike competed probation in
of class monitors in my level to early 2013
nurturing growth
41
Andrea – Singing a New Song
Before probation, I used to think
I could do anything I wanted to
and still be above the law and
never get caught. I had a very
strained relationship with my
mother, who is a single parent.
I kept very late nights and spent
all my time with friends idling
and sniffing glue.
around was not a good feeling. I
didn’t enjoy one bit of what I had
to go through at that point of time.
I realised that with choices come
consequences.
The most important thing I learnt
on probation was to be disciplined.
The electronic tagging and curfew
kept me out of trouble at night and
very soon, I did not see any point
in staying out late. I was tired of
After committing housebreaking, seeing my mother being worried
inhalant abuse and shoplifting, over me. I wanted to change for
I was placed on a 21-month the better.
probation with four months
of electronic monitoring. On I have an insane love for music. My
probation, the first challenge Probation Officer knew about this
was the restriction to my and looked out for opportunities
freedom. I wanted to stay out for me. She encouraged me to
five minutes longer after 10pm attend an audition for a singing
just to catch up with my friends programme. I did so well in the
but I couldn’t. I also had to programme that I was offered a
make an effort to go down to singing contract by the academy.
Probation Office every week
to see my Probation Officer This was the catalyst to get my life
as well as to attend probation back on song. With the rigour of
programmes.
regular practice and performances,
I changed my peers and late night
Having to be watched over activities. My relationship with my
closely at all times by people mother also improved.
42
There were people around
me, who were very supportive
such as my family members
and especially my Probation
Officer. My Probation Officer
encouraged me a lot. She just
wanted me to succeed. She
trusted me and I was glad I did
not let her down.
When you fall, you’re the only
one who can pick yourself up,
dust yourself and start all over
again.
I would like to thank all the
people who have helped me
in the process of straightening
myself out and guiding me to
where the grass is greener. I
want you all to know that your
gracefulness have made yet
another person’s life so much
more fulfilled.
~ Andrea completed probation
successfully in 2013. At 20,
Andrea is now working. She has
plans to further her education
Moving forward
The increase in the proportion of
higher risk offenders on probation
in recent years places greater
demands on the supervision of
such offenders. To ensure that
our intervention is responsive and
effective, our efforts will be focused
on the following:
Building a Professional Practice
All Probation Officers will be
trained to competently apply
evidence-based models (RiskNeeds-Responsivity, Good Lives
Model, Motivation techniques
and Restorative Practice) during
intervention with offenders and
families. This would empower
probationers to value a prosocial lifestyle and enable families
to provide better support in
completing their Probation Orders.
Officers would be supported to do
more extensive family work and
facilitate access to services for
the families.
Given the fast-paced and intense
nature of the work, support for the
officers through clinical supervision
is important. This will enable our
officers to maintain a high quality
of service in the rehabilitation of
offenders. Following the clinical
supervision training in 2013, the
current supervision framework
would be further developed
in 2014.
Programming for a Sustainable
Pro-social Lifestyle
Evidence-based and best practice
would continue to inform our
programme design, with wider
application of the Good Lives
Model. There would be greater
engagement with the community
to provide a variety of programmes
and community service placements
for youth probationers.
This is to better integrate the
offenders into naturalised social
groups as they explore their
interests, cultivate their talents and
contribute to society. The creation
of such new lifestyles would
increase desistence to crime.
nurturing growth
43
bearing
fruit
Nourished by the roots and leaves;
and supported by the stem and branches,
the tree bears a harvest of fruit.
This final chapter gives a picture
of the profile of probationers on
probation in 2013.
THE BIG PICTURE
CHART 1. Number and Types of Cases Managed by Probation Service
Probation
Services
Branch
supervised a total of 2,238
probationers in 20137 (see Chart 1).
Of these, 1,305 probationers
performed Community Service
during the year as part of their
Probation Order.
965 Pre-Sentence Reports (PSRs)
were called for by the Courts. Of
these, 258 were PSRs for juvenile
offenders and 707 were for adult
offenders9. Of the 894 PSRs
submitted in 201310, 98% (876) of
recommendations were accepted
by the Courts.
8
3000
2500
2000
2,557 2,523
2,474
1,837
500
1,191 1,198
2004
2005
1,320
2006
Total Cases on
Supervision
2,984
2,866
2,533
1,817 1,824
1,544 1,510
1,721
1,545
1,435
1,508
1,287
2007
2008
2009
2010
Total Cases
Performing
Community Service
NEW PROBATION CASES
2,753
2,238
1,700
1,632 1,646
1500
1000
2,709
2,858
2011
1,321 1,305
1,021
2012
532
487
454
441
417
418
200
0
2004
Total
2005
2006
2007
2008
Adult
2009
2013
Total Number of
Pre-Sentence Reports
There were 835 cases placed on
CHART 2. Number of New Probation Cases
probation in 201311 (see Chart 2).
Of these new probation cases, 244
1,302 1,296
were juvenile and 591 were adult 1400
1,245
1,201
probation cases. The reduction in
1,146
1200
1,104
adult cases was driven primarily
1,026 975
931
by a fall in referrals for cases age 1000
885 878 839
22 years and above. There was
804
779
800
also a marked increase in the level
692
696
of complexity and risk of cases, as
494
600
488
illustrated in the following sections.
400
965
362
325
2010
2011
835
591
235
244
2012
2013
Juvenile
These included those who were placed on probation in previous years and continued to be on probation in 2013.
Pre-Sentence Reports (PSRs) are social reports requested by the Courts at pre-adjudication. The report contains backgrounds
information on the offender’s family, education/work, social activity and attitude. It may contain reports from other professionals
or agencies that the offender has been in contact with in the past. Based on the information obtained, a risk assessment is
conducted and the Probation Officer puts up a recommendation on the offender’s suitability for probation.
9
Of the 707 PSRs for adult offenders, 2 of them were from the High Court.
10
This calculation excluded PSRs that were called for in 2013, but sentenced in 2014.
11
This includes cases that were referred for pre-sentence reports in 2012 and placed on probation in 2013.
7
8
46
bearing fruit
PROFILE OF NEW
PROBATION CASES
IN 2013
Demography
CHART 3. Gender
83%
Male
17%
Female
The majority (83%, 693 out
of 835) of offenders placed on
probation in 2013 were male (see
Chart 3). 65% (541 out of 835)
of new probation cases were age
18 years and below at the start
of probation (see Chart 4). There
was a significant decline in cases
age 22 years and above (8%, 66
out of 835 compared to 13%, 125
out of 931 cases in 2012) placed
on probation. A minority (15%,
CHART 4. Age at the Start of Probation Order
125 out of 835) of cases had postsecondary school qualifications at
placement on probation.
Below
16 years old
16 – 18
years old
23%
41%
19 – 21
years old
22 years
and above
27%
9%
196 Cases
228 Cases
345 Cases
66 Cases
nurturing growth
47
While the majority (60%, 499
out of 835) of new offenders on
probation came from two-parent
nuclear families, there was a slight
increase in the number from
reconstituted families (13%, 107
out of 835) as compared to 2012
(11%, 103 out of 931). The median
household monthly income of the
offenders was $3,020, 2.5 times
less than the national median
monthly household income of
$7,87012. 90% (752 out of 835) of
offenders came from families with
incomes less than the median
national household income, an
increase in proportion from 2012
(86%, 800 out of 931) (see Charts
5 and 6).
CHART 5. Family Structure
Two-Parent
Nuclear Family
Single-Parent
Nuclear Family
Reconstituted
Family
Other
Family Structures
60%
23%
13%
4%
499 Cases
192 Cases
107 Cases
37 Cases
CHART 6. Household Income
< $1000
8%
68 Cases
12
48
$1000
– $1999
$2000
– $2999
$3000
– $3999
$4000
– $4999
$5000
– $5999
$6000
– $6999
$7000
and above
18%
19%
16%
13%
8%
6%
12%
147 Cases
160 Cases
136 Cases
106 Cases
Key Household Income Trends, 2013, Department of Statistics (Singapore).
67 Cases
48 Cases
103 Cases
bearing fruit
Types of offences
The four most common offences
were consistent with previous
years. They were: theft and related
(32%, 267 out of 835), unlawful
assembly (11%, 92 out of 835),
voluntarily causing hurt (10%,
85 out of 835) and unlicensed
money lending (8%, 64 out of
835). However, unlawful assembly
replaced voluntarily causing hurt
as the second most common
offence as compared to 2012.
Offenders who committed the top
3 offences accounted for 53% (444
out of 835) of new probation cases
(see Chart 7).
CHART 7. Top 10 Primary Offences13
Juvenile
Adult
Total
1
Theft and Related
68
199
267
2
Unlawful Assembly
31
61
92
3
Voluntarily Causing Hurt
18
67
85
4
Unlicensed Money Lending and Related
17
47
64
5
Rioting
16
40
56
6
Fraud / Forgery
5
45
50
7
Housebreaking
15
18
33
8
Juvenile Smoking
31
0
31
9
Robbery
15
13
28
10
Sex with a Minor
3
19
22
Other offences committed by juvenile and adult offenders not listed here included offences such as sexual offences, cheating,
possession of offensive weapon, vandalism / mischief etc.
13
nurturing growth
49
CONDITIONS OF
PROBATION
Grades of Probation
CHART 8. Grades of Probation
100%
90%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
53%
50%
47%
50%
39%
80%
The grades of probation correspond
with the frequency of contact and
70%
intensity of intervention provided
60%
by the Probation Officer. The
50%
majority (60%, 501 out of 835) of
40%
offenders were placed on intensive
46%
49%
52%
49%
60%
30%
or split (intensive-supervised)
20%
probation as compared to 2012
10%
(51%, 476 out of 931) (see Chart 8).
These offenders were assessed
0%
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
to have greater risk issues such
as weak family supervision or
Intensive / Split
Supervised Probation
Administrative
parent-child relationship, lack of
Probation(Intensive/ Split Probation
pro-social peers, unconstructive
Supervised
(Supervisedleisure activities, low engagement
Administrative)
in school or work, poor frustration
tolerance and / or substance
abuse. Such offenders required
CHART 9. Proportion of Offenders Placed on Restrictive Conditions
more intensive monitoring and (Hostel Residency or Electronic Monitoring)
intervention.
40
Restrictive Conditions
40% (333 out of 835) of offenders
were ordered to reside in a
hostel or placed on electronic
monitoring. This was an increase by
6 percentage points as compared
to 2012 (34%, 318 out of 931) (see
Chart 9). They were assessed to
have a higher risk of re-offending
and required tighter monitoring.
40%
35
35%
36%
30
34%
25
20
15
19%
16%
2009
Hostel
50
37%
19%
18%
2010
20%
19%
21%
19%
16%
2011
Electronic
Monitoring
15%
2012
2013
Total (Electronic
Monitoring and
Hostel)
bearing fruit
Length of Probation Order
CHART 10. Length of Probation Order
Offenders were most commonly
placed on Probation Orders of
16 to 18 months (26%, 217 out
of 835). 34% (286 out of 835) of
offenders were ordered to undergo
more than 18 months of probation
(See Chart 10).
200
Community Service
100
87% (727 out of 835) of offenders
placed on probation in 2013 were
required to perform community
service as a condition of their
Probation Order. The number of
community service hours ordered
generally ranged between 80 to
150 hours, with an average of
118 hours.
250
221
217
174
150
150
95
47
50
129
115
111
67
46
69
55
74
16
0
6 – 12
months
Juvenile
13
13 – 15
months
16 – 18
months
Adult
19 – 21
months
22 – 24
months
29
42
25 – 36
months
Total
nurturing growth
51
HOW WE DID IN 2013
Probation Conditions
Similar to the new probation cases
seen in 2013, the cases closed in
2013 were also observed to have
increased risk and complexity.
More than 52% of the offenders
discharged from probation required
intensive supervision, with another
41% given restrictive conditions of
hostel residency and / or electronic
monitoring. There was also an
increase in the number of cases
placed on more than 24 months of
probation. Notably, 91% of cases
placed on more than 24 months
of probation were age 18 years and
below (see Chart 11).
CHART 11. Number of cases placed on Probation Orders of more than 24 months
99
100
80
69
59
60
41
40
40
32
30
18
20
8
0
2011
2012
Juvenile
52
Adult
2013
Total
bearing fruit
Risk Assessment
The Youth Level of Service / Case
Management Inventory (YLS/
CMI)14 is a risk assessment tool to
assess the risk of re-offending for
youth offenders age 18 years and
below. For the cohort of offenders
age 18 years and below discharged
from probation in 2013, their risk
level at the onset of probation
was assessed to be higher
than those discharged in 2012.
Charts 12 and 13 show the shift in
the distribution of risk levels.
CHART 12. Distribution of Risk levels for Juvenile Cases (risk level at onset of probation)
2012
27%
60%
13%
2013
15%
61%
0
20
Low Risk
40
Moderate
Risk
21%
60
80
High
Risk
3%
100
Very High
Risk
CHART 13. Distribution of Risk levels for Cases age 18 years and below
(risk level at onset of probation)
2012
34%
56%
10%
2013
30%
0
Low Risk
20
55%
40
Moderate
Risk
60
High
Risk
14% 1%
80
100
Very High
Risk
The YLS/CMI risk assessment tool is used for youth offenders age 18 years and below. See page 20 for details.
14
nurturing growth
53
Probation Completion Rate
In spite of the increased risk profile of 963) completed their Probation discharge from probation by the
of offenders discharged from Orders successfully (See Chart 14). Courts for good progress made
probation in 2013, 83% (795 out 16 probationers were granted early throughout their probation journey.
CHART 14. Probation Completion Rate
100%
90%
90%
91%
87%
82%
84%
80%
80%
87%
82%
90%
85%
80%
89%
87%
87%
85%
82%
89%
86%
81%
77%
90%
88%
84%
88%
87%
84%
86%
83%
76%
70%
72%
60%
50%
2004
2005
2006
Juvenile
54
2007
2008
2009
Adult
2010
2011
Overall
2012
2013
bearing fruit
There was a positive correlation
between probation completion rate
and the offenders’ age in 2013 (see
Chart 15). Offenders age 19 years
and above performed well, with
a higher completion rate (91%)
than 2012 (87%).
Findings show that the probationers
presented a higher level of risk
and multiple needs. Probation
Service will be strengthening its
efforts in enabling probationers
to change their attitudes towards
offending and engage in pro-social
leisure activities. Families will also
be provided greater support in
providing care and supervision.
CHART 15. Probation Completion Rate by Age Group
100
80
73%
81%
89%
93%
60
40
20
0
< 16 years
16 – 18 years
19 – 21 years
> 21 years
nurturing growth
55
Reasons for Non-Completion
of Probation
CHART 16. Reasons for Non-Completion of Probation Order
Warrant of
Arrest / At Large
168 offenders did not complete
probation successfully in 2013.
4% 6 Cases
Commission of further offences
Commission of
during probation and poor
Further Offences
Poor Response to
response to supervision15 were
Supervision
47% 79 Cases
the two main reasons for the
revocation of probation order. The
49% 83 Cases
majority (49%) of probationers
failed to complete probation due to
CHART 17. Probation Completion Rate – Hostel versus Non-Hostel Cases
their poor response to supervision
such as persistent failure to abide
100%
by the time restriction or failure to
86% 83%
85% 87% 87%
return to hostel (See Chart 16).
78%
80%
Performance of Offenders
on Restrictive Conditions
(Hostel Residency and
Electronic Monitoring)
60%
72%
65%
56%
40%
Generally,
offenders
placed
20%
on probation with restrictive
conditions such as hostel residency
0%
or electronic monitoring have
Hostel
Non-Hostel
more complex risk issues and face
more challenges in completing
Juvenile Closed Cases
Adult Closed Cases
probation successfully. There was
a decline in the completion rate for
CHART 18. Probation Completion Rate of Hostel Cases
those ordered to reside in a hostel
as a condition of the Probation
100%
Order, as compared to previous
82%
years (see Charts 17 and 18).
80%
71% 72% 71%
Overall
Overall Closed Cases
78%
75%
73%
65%
56%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2011
15
2012
Adult Closed Cases
2013
Poor response to supervision included breach of time restriction, failure to return to hostel, poor progress in hostel and other
non-compliance to probation conditions.
56
bearing fruit
As compared to the completion CHART 19. Probation Completion Rate of Cases on Electronic Monitoring
rate for hostel cases, those placed
100%
on probation with electronic
monitoring had a higher completion
84% 84% 84%
83% 85% 84%
rate. 73% (153 out of 211) of those
80%
74% 73%
given a condition of electronic
67%
monitoring completed probation
60%
successfully (see Chart 19).
Recidivism Rate
40%
The recidivism rate continued
to be a downward trend. Of the
cohort of offenders who completed
probation successfully in 2010,
88.9% remained crime-free 3 years
after discharge from probation. The
three-year recidivism rate for the
cohort who completed probation
in 2010 was 11.1% (see Chart 20).
20%
0%
2011
2012
Adult Closed Cases
2013
CHART 20. Recidivism Rate
15.0%
13.8%
12.9%
12.0%
11.3%
9.0%
2008
3 Year Recidivism Rate
11.0%
2009
11.1%
9.4%
2010
2 Year Recidivism Rate
nurturing growth
57
ABOUT
DIVERSIONARY
PROGRAMMES
Research has shown that offending by youth offenders can be time an
risk of re-offending, they are given a chance to be rehabilitated and no
Probation Service currently oversees the following Diversionary Progr
Guided by a social worker, the youth is involved in a six-month program
the right choices and lead a crime-free lifestyle.
GP
Guidance
Programme
Youth offenders could be given a stern warning if they complete the programme successfully in lieu
of court prosecution.
2006
1997
Introduction of GP
for youth offenders
(below 16 years)
<16 YRS
GP-ID
GP extended to
young offenders
aged 16 to 19 years
(termed “GP Plus”)
GP developed
to cater to youth
with intellectual
disabilities (termed
“GP-ID”)
GP extended to
young persons
arrested for
possession or
peddling of duty
unpaid cigarettes
16-19 YRS
2003
2009
AVERAGE OF
700
young offenders
referred every year
58
KEY PARTNERS
Attorney-General’s Chambers,
Singapore Police Force, Ministry of
Education, Singapore Customs and
16 social service agencies
other community-based programmes
nd age-limited. By diverting youth offenders away from the criminal justice system, especially those with lower
ot face the stigma and effects of the criminal justice system at a young age.
rammes – Guidance Programme, Streetwise Programme and Enhanced Supervision Scheme (Young Persons).
mme, which includes individual, group-based and family sessions. The programmes aim to help the youth make
SWP
ESS(YP)
Enhanced
Supervision
Scheme
(Young Person)
Streetwise
Programme
1997
13-18 YRS
Sep 2012
Introduction of
SWP for youth
associating
with gangs
(Between 13
and 18 years)
Managed by
National Youth
Council
MSF
Introduction
of Enhanced
Streetwise
Programme.
A six-month
intensive
programme for
youth offenders,
who play a
minor role in
a gang-related
offence, in-lieu of
court prosecution
Apr 2012
MSF took over
management
of SWP
92
youths
referred in
2013
Introduced in late 2013 for
youth who abuse drugs.
The programme augments
the regular urine test
regime with a casework and
counselling component
KEY PARTNERS
KEY PARTNERS
Attorney-General’s Chambers,
Secret Societies Branch (CID),
Singapore Police Force, the
Ministry of Education and five
social service agencies
Central Narcotics Bureau and
five agencies
nurturing growth
59
Supporting Social
Service Agencies
Sharing Session with
Social Service Agencies on
Legal Framework
On 29 August 2013, representatives
from
the
Attorney-General’s
Chambers (AGC) were invited to
share with the agencies running
the Guidance Programme and the
Streetwise Programme on the legal
framework in the management
of youth offenders. The session
provided the agencies with a better
understanding of the criminal
jurisdiction system, the rationale of
the diversionary system and AGC’s
considerations when deciding
to place a youth offender on a
diversionary programme.
This has paved the way for all
community agencies working
along the offender rehabilitation
continuum to have a common
understanding
and
working
language to assess and manage
the risk of youth offenders.
Adoption of M.O.R.E
by Fei Yue FSC
The Motivating Offenders to
Rethink Everything (M.O.R.E)
Programme was extended to Fei
Yue Family Service Centre, which
runs the Guidance Programme.
The agency has thus far conducted
three runs of the programme for 31
participants, of which 12 sessions
were audited.
Preliminary findings of the
evaluation revealed that 59% of
Extension of The Risk
the youth participants showed an
Assessment Tool
increased readiness to change.
Another 65% showed an increase
The risk assessment tool, Youth in meta-cognition. The majority
Level of Service / Case Management of participants indicated that they
Inventory currently used by the had better control of themselves
Ministry and Singapore Prison and were more able to apply
Service for youth offenders was consequential thinking in their
extended to all agencies conducting daily lives.
the Guidance Programme and
Streetwise Programmes in May Sharing knowledge with social
2013. About 100 personnel have service agencies is part of PSB’s
been trained to use the tool. commitment
to
strengthen
Ongoing support is given to the community-based rehabilitation
agencies on the application of programmes for better youth
the tool for risk assessment and offender outcomes. There are
case management.
plans to get more agencies to
conduct the M.O.R.E programme.
60
The use of evidence-based
programmes is useful
because we know that
the programme has been
thoroughly studied and
developed to address a
specific issue / need within
the youths as compared
to one that has more
generic content. This gives
us greater confidence
in rehabilitating the
young offenders.
Moving forward, I welcome
the use of evidence-based
practices and hope to see
greater application of such
practices within the social
service sector.
~Joyz, Senior Social Worker /
Assistant Manager, Fei Yue FSC
other community-based programmes
COMMUNITY
SERVICE ORDER
(COMMUNITY ORDER)
Background
Originally implemented in 1996
as a condition of probation and
as a stand-alone option for
juvenile offenders, Community
Service Order became available
as a stand-alone Community
Order option for offenders aged
16 years and above in 2011.
It gives offenders the chance
to make amends and benefit
the community while being
punished for their offences.
The Heart of Restoration
Probation Service currently
works alongside six agencies
in facilitating the completion
of Community Service Orders.
These agencies include nursing
homes, a soup kitchen and one
of the town councils. Through
performing work ranging from
food preparation, delivery of
meals, laundry work, cleaning
and maintenance of premises
to administrative duties, the
offenders are given the chance
to serve the community in
different ways.
Ms. Wilma from Kheng Chiu
Home
shared
that
most
offenders were “happy to assist
in the maintenance work, which
contributed to the elderly clients
having a clean environment to stay
in”. She was heartened to see some
offenders return to the home to
greet the staff and visit the elderly
after completing their community
service hours.
Parallel
to
this,
offenders
describe their experience as a
good opportunity to give back to
the community. Put succinctly
by one 66-year-old offender
who completed 140 hours of
Community Service, “I felt happy
I could do something to give back
to the community. It was a good
opportunity for me to be exposed
to the less fortunate. It also taught
me the importance of thinking
before acting.”
Community Service Order as a
sentencing option has seen a
consistently positive completion
rate varying between 93 to 95%. It
has also added value to offenders,
who view it as their second chance
to move forward in life.
I learnt to be more
considerate and to be
more disciplined in
managing my time.
~ Paul (not his real name),
31 years old, who completed
100 hours of Community Service
While it was a challenge
to balance family,
work and CSO, I learn
to better appreciate
what I have. CSO has
increased my interest to
volunteer and I would
continue volunteering
at the agency.
~ Yusof (not his real name),
CSO was enriching and
I got to know more about
the agencies.
~ Mary (not her real name),
nurturing growth
61
Probation Programmes
S/N
Programme
DESCRIPTION
1
Anti-Drug Workshop
A workshop co-conducted by staff from Probation Service and Central Narcotics Bureau
for offenders with a history of drug related issues. Through discussions and role plays, the
workshop highlights the dangers of abusing drugs and share ways for offenders to stay away
from drugs.
2
Anti Secret Society Talk
A seminar conducted by the Singapore Police Force Secret Societies Branch for offenders with
previous or current gang association. Parents are required to accompany the offenders. The
objectives are to help:
a)offenders to decline any gang involvement, and for
b)parents to be vigilant to help their children stay away from gang association.
3
Basic Education Sexuality
Treatment (BEST)
Programme
A 12 to 18-month specialised treatment group or individual therapy conducted by the
Clinical and Forensic Psychology Branch (CFPB) for adolescent and adult males with
special needs who have committed sexual offence(s) or have engaged in sexually aggressive
behaviours. The objective of the programme is to increase well-being, improve functioning
and reduce or manage the risk of sexual re-offending.
4
Challenging Offending
and Misguided
Behaviour through Apt
Treatment (COMBAT)
This core programme consists of three modules:
a)Victim Impact raises awareness of the impact of crime on victims and encourages victim
empathy in offenders.
b)Law and Order educates on the common offences in Singapore and highlights the necessity
of law to protect the society.
c)Responsible Thinking & Self Control equips offenders with thinking skills and self-control
strategies.
5
Conflict Resolution
A group programme for young adult offenders who lack constructive skills in resolving
conflicts. The objective is to help the young adult offenders understand how conflicts arise and
introduce pro-social methods of resolving differences through discussions and role-plays.
6
Decision Making and
Problem Solving
An interactive workshop for young adult offenders with poor decision making and/or
problem solving skills. Using an evidence-based six-step model, the programme aims to
equip the young adults with the right skills to manage risky situations and avoid committing
further offence.
7
Engaging Parents in
Court (EPIC) / EPIC Plus
Induction
An induction programme for offenders and their parents at the commencement of probation.
The objectives are to:
a)inform offenders and their parents about the probation process, and
b)empower parents to play an active role in their child’s rehabilitation journey.
8
Enhanced Parenting
Workshop Series
A 5-session group programme for parents of offenders that aims to improve communication
between parent and child for effective parenting. The parents are guided on using
communication as a foundation for effective boundary negotiation and conflict management
while the offenders are also involved to foster greater parent-child communication and bonding.
The programme also includes an adventure-based activity to provide the offenders and their
families with a therapeutic experience to practice communication skills learnt during the
group sessions.
9
62
Enhanced Periodic
Training Order
A 30-session skills training programme for moderate to higher-risk offenders that teaches
offenders “how to think, not what to think”. Using the Reasoning and Re-Acting (A) framework,
the programme aims to instil offenders with alternative cognitive strategies to challenge
offence-supportive thinking.
probation programmes
S/N
Programme
DESCRIPTION
10
Enhanced Streetwise
Programme
An intensive six-month preventive and rehabilitative programme for youths aged 13 to 19 years,
to address the negative impact of youths participating in street corner gangs. The programme
provides a series of counselling, life skills groupwork and recreational activities with the aims
to steer youths away from continued association with gangs and help them make a fresh start
in life.
11
Experiential Learning
Programmes
Programmes that provide offenders with a learning platform through direct experience. For
example, the Y-Confidence Programme is a six session programme targeted at offenders in
need of constructive engagement and positive peers. A youth volunteer will befriend a offender
to participate in activities together to build physical and mental discipline and leadership skills.
12
Family Intervention
Team (FIT)
A six-month intensive co-case management programme targeted at offenders and their
families with high risk and needs. The objectives are to improve the parents’ ability in
managing their children’s behaviours and prevent the offenders and their siblings from
committing offences. Case workers from social service agencies work closely with the
Probation Officers to provide this home-based family-centred intervention.
13
Family Intervention
Team Plus (FIT Plus)
An extended and enhanced version of FIT programme. FIT Plus is a 12-month intensive cocase management programme designed for offenders residing in hostels and their families.
14
iM.Able
A six-month co-case management programme for offenders with mental illnesses to equip
them with skills to cope with life stressors and manage their behaviours. Case workers from a
social service agency provide social skills training and appropriate psychological intervention
to complement Probation Officers’ work.
15
Mandatory Counselling
Order (MO)
A mandated condition requiring selected parents of offenders to undergo compulsory
counselling sessions conducted by professionals from social service agencies. Parents are
counselled on effective management of marital and parent-child relationship issues to provide
an appropriate home environment for their child’s rehabilitation.
16
Motivating Offenders
to Rethink Everything
(M.O.R.E)
A four-session programme that aims to enable offenders to take new perspectives, learn how
their thinking affects their actions and motivate them to change.
17
Periodic Training Order
(Intellectual disability)
A three-month training programme designed for offenders with intellectual disabilities. This
group programme focuses on teaching social skills to promote pro-social behaviours.
18
Periodic Training Order
(Inhalant Abuse)
A four-month comprehensive skills-training group programme to address the risk issues
of offenders with a history of abusing inhalants. The group programme also helps
offenders to increase their self-awareness and consequential thinking and be equipped for
relapse prevention.
19
Positive Adolescent
Sexuality Treatment
(PAST) Programme
A six to nine-month specialised group programme conducted by CFPB for adolescent
offenders who have committed sexual offence(s) or are engaged in sexually abusive
behaviours. The objectives of the group are to enhance self-esteem and develop greater
commitment for rehabilitative treatment to reduce or manage the risk of sexual re-offending.
20
Positive Psychotherapy
Group (PPG)
A six to nine-month specialised treatment group programme conducted by CFPB for adult men
who have committed sexual offence(s) or have engaged in sexually aggressive behaviours. It
adopts a strengths-based approach and the objectives are to promote good lives and reduce/
manage risk of sexual re-offending.
nurturing growth
63
S/N
Programme
DESCRIPTION
21
Power to Parents (P2P)
A 15-month parenting programme for parents of offenders residing in hostels. The programme
seeks to impart practical parenting skills and address reintegration concerns to prepare the
parents for the offenders’ discharge from hostel.
22
Prison Visit
A half-day experiential programme that provides offenders with a first-hand experience of
prison life. It aims to help them to cherish the opportunity for community-based rehabilitation
and deter them from committing further offences.
23
Project HEAL (Healing,
Empowering and
Linking)
A restorative conference conducted in collaboration with the Juvenile Court to provide
offenders a chance to hear from the victim about the impact of his/her offence and to make
amends. Based on the Restorative Justice model, the conference facilitates the restoration of
broken relationships as a result of crime.
24
Smoking Cessation
Programme
A two-session programme held at polyclinics for offenders who have committed smoking
offences or with smoking habit to educate them on the dangers and ills of smoking.
In addition to the Clinic, Probation Service also collaborated with the Health Promotion Board
to conduct a five-session anti-smoking programme for juvenile offenders residing in hostels.
The programme equipped the participants with the knowledge, skills and strategies to quit
smoking and remain tobacco-free.
64
25
Sports and Arts
Programmes
A variety of programmes targeting offenders with moderate to high risk in peer association
and leisure activities. The programmes offered in 2013 included soccer, dance and basketball.
The aims are to cultivate the habit of participation in pro-social activities and introduce healthy
lifestyle to them.
26
Theft Intervention
Programme (TIP)
A four-month specialised treatment group programme conducted by CFPB. The programme is
for adolescents who have committed repeated theft offences. The objective of the programme
is to change the way theft offenders think about stealing and to teach them the skills to desist
from their theft offending behaviour.
27
Tweens Integrated
Social skills Training and
Enrichment Programme
(IN-STEP)
A four-month programme specially designed for young offenders aged 14 years and
below. This programme aims to enhance the young offenders’ ability to respond to risky
situations, establish healthy peer relations and make good decisions. The young offenders
are given intensive social skills training while their parents are also equipped with behaviour
management skills.
28
Violence Prevention
Programme (VPP)
Through a cognitive behavioural model, this specialised group programme equips offenders
with knowledge and skills to reduce and prevent violent behaviours. The programme includes
two sessions. Parents are required to attend to learn to better understand and support
their child.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EDITORIAL TEAM
The editorial team would like to thank the
following individuals and organisations for
their contributions towards the preparation
of this report:
Ms Aileen Tan
Senior Assistant Director / Operations (Youth)
Ng, MySpace Psychotherapy
Services Pte Ltd
Mr Loy Siang Meng
Assistant Manager
♦Esther
♦
Stephanie Wong, Tan Wan Lin, Rouisanna
Wong, Marlia Mohamed and the talented
probationers who helped with the illustrations
♦Gabriel
Low, Pauline Chia, Regina Ng
and Siti Aisha for contributing to the
development of the Annual Report’s Concept
Shawn Lim, our Research Assistant, for
assisting in the statistical analysis
Mr Samuel Beh
Probation Officer
IN CONSULTATION WITH
Ms Bernadette Alexander
Deputy Director / Chief Probation Officer
Mr Gan Jin Yee
Assistant Director / Operations (Adult)
♦
♦
Staff of Probation Service
♦
Many other partners who contributed
Ms Irene Cheng
Assistant Director / Professional Development,
Resource Management and Diversionary
Programmes
Ms Ting Siew Ling
Manager / Community Partnerships
All rights reserved
Published by Probation Services Branch, Ministry of Social and Family Development
The information contained in this report may not be reproduced in part or whole, nor the contents used without prior
written permission from the Ministry. The information is accurate at the time of print.
PROBATION SERVICES BRANCH
1 Kay Siang Road, #01-10, Singapore 248922
Infoline: 1800-258-7963
MSF_Probation_Service@msf.gov.sg

probation service annual report 2013

Transcription

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