Volunteer Probation Officer System in Korea (From Annual Report for 2002 and Resource Material Series No. 61, P 227-244, 2003, -- See NCJ-205803)

• NCJ Number: 205814
• Author(s): Woo Sik Chung
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: United Nations Publications; United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Japan

Annotation

This paper describes the volunteer probation officer system in Korea.

Abstract

The legal basis of the Korean probation volunteer system resides in the centrality of the community in preventing recidivism and helping offenders who are returning to the community. Volunteers under the Korean probation system are referred to as members “of Crime Prevention Volunteer Committee,” which was designed to engage in crime prevention activities and support the probation and rehabilitation services. The volunteer probation system in Korea is outlined, including its definition, purpose, criteria for appointment, and status of volunteer probation officers. The major activities of volunteer probation officers include providing counseling to offenders and assisting offenders with job placement and financial aid. The two ways a case may be assigned to a volunteer are through direct assignment from the probation office or through assignment by the local committee. There are currently no formal procedures for recruiting volunteers, but there are requirements for recommending a candidate for a volunteer position. Education for volunteers is undertaken for the purpose of introducing the basic education necessary for engaging in crime prevention activities and is administered by the Guide Committee. A table provides information on the program content for professional education. An important component of the volunteer program is the commendation system, which serves to enhance the motivation of volunteers. Volunteer probation officer statistics are presented which reveal with current status of the crime prevention volunteer by occupation for 2001 and demographic information on volunteers. Evaluation of the Korean volunteer probation officer system reveals concerns in the recruitment process, training, the committee system, and the forms of volunteer involvement. Changes to the current organizational structure of the volunteer system are called for to sustain the efficacy of the probation system. References, appendix