Probation officers' safety at work

Abstract

Probation officers are entrusted with the supervision of community-sanctioned offenders in order to safeguard the public. They prioritise the safety of society over that of their own, and place their well-being in jeopardy in the process. This study delves into the way probation officers who have worked or are still working for the Probation and Parole Services in Malta are protected. It also reveals the ways in which they are not, and proposes suggestions for the future. While the need for more safeguarding measures is evident, those already implemented are not fully exploited. However, the call was made for an improvement of what is already available rather than additional procedures. While it was revealed that probation officers fear for their safety and see victimisation as part of their job, they stand in total opposition of being fire-armed. Some of the measures suggested for enhancement of these professionals' safety included the installation of a metal detector at the probation premises in Valletta, the delivery of on-going training with regards to personal safety, and the recruitment of more probation officers.