Educational Measure in the Form of Referral to a Probation Centre – Current Trends, Opportunities and Challenges

Introduction: Referral to a probation centre is still rarely adjudicated, i.e. against about 2% of juveniles, mainly those showing signs of demoralization (about 70%). So far, the activity of the centres has confirmed the effectiveness in working with minors, as well as lower cost of their stay in the centre, compared to 24-hour facilities, which may justify their further development. Research Aim: The aim of the analysis is to present current trends, opportunities and challenges faced by probation centres and their staff in the context of recent (mainly legislative) developments and their consequences. The deliberations were based on statistical data from district courts having territorial jurisdiction over the Lublin area (with the largest number of probation centres). Answers were sought to the questions: how many juveniles were adjudicated with educational measure in the form of referral to a probation centre or supervision by a probation officer, and on what grounds was the measure adjudicated. Evidence-based Facts: Recent legislative changes (including the introduction of the Act on the Support and Social Rehabilitation of Juveniles) have turned probation centres into educational and social rehabilitation facilities, enabling professionalization of activities (considering the narrowing down of the group of wards/probationers only to juveniles referred there by the court). The number of probation centres has increased in recent years, but they still do not operate at all courts (only 100 out of 318, about 31%), which means that not every district court has the capacity to adjudicate upon this educational measure. Summary: Based on the analysis of statistical data from the territorial jurisdiction of Lublin, it can be concluded that in juvenile proceedings pending due to demoralization, the court was more likely to decide on the educational measure of supervision by a probation officer. Attending a probation centre brings a number of benefits to probationers, yet the potential of probation centres as facilities for minors who have not yet committed criminal acts appears to be have been unexploited.