우리나라 保護觀察制度의 實施現況과 그 改善方案

Abstract

Probation has been one of major punishment alternatives in Korea since 1989 for both juvenile delinquents and adult criminals. The wide use of probation symbolically convey the changing conception of how to treat criminals: the change from treatment in the security-bound prisons to community-based treatment. While the number of criminals under probation has increased rapidly from 4,928 in 1989 to 140,858 in 2001 and the function of probation office has increased, the number of probational officer has been staggered: from 217 probation officer in 1989 to 511 officer in 2002. Based on these discrepancies we easily notice the heavy workload of the probation officers. Through a attitude survey drawn from probation officers, I suggest a few recommendations to improve the practices of probation.