Huge case load for probation officers

Probation officers have a case load of between 59 and 94 cases each, according to information given in parliament yesterday.

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Marie-Louise Coleiro that the two senior probation officers had a case load of 18 cases each while the probation officers have a case load of 73, 94, 59, 63, 59 and 65 cases each.

The minister said the quota of case loads was 12 for the senior probation officers and 35 for probation officers.

He said that the Social Policy Ministry every year subsidised a course for probation officers at the University but, unfortunately, not all those who concluded the course opted to engage themselves in this work.

Nonetheless, the situation was far better than the time when there were only one or two probation officers.

He said the process had been started for the engagement of four probation officers/trainee probation officers.