It is only January, but the Department of Probation in Anguilla has already begun to focus on celebrations marking its Tenth Anniversary in June this year.
The first step towards those celebrations was taken on Friday, January 9, when the Department formally unveiled its Revised Vision and Mission Statements at the Teachers’ Resource Centre.
Chief Minister and Minister of Social Development, Hubert Hughes, said the Vision and Mission statements were important as they encompassed the organisation’s goal of achieving success in its varied functions.
He took the opportunity to review the work of the Probation Department and expressed appreciation for its contribution to Anguilla. “I would like to express my profound appreciation for the hard work of the management and staff who have taken their roles of managing and protecting offenders in the community very seriously,” he stated. “I am honoured to be taking part in the activities commemorating the Department’s ten years of service to the Anguillian community and I wish you continued success going forward.”
Mr Hughes was pleased that the Department, where the Chief Probation Officer is Mrs Jocelyne Johnson, has a staff complement of twenty-three, having grown from a unit with two officers at its inception.
He explained that while the Department’s mandate was to supervise and manage the requirements of a probation order from the court, the focus continued to be on offender rehabilitation and reintegration. “This is done through direct interventions, development of offender management plans, care plans and assisting the offender to overcome real or perceived obstacles to decrease their risks of reoffending,” he further explained.
Along with the launch of the Department’s Vision and Mission Statements, was the circulation of a Public Information Handbook setting out the various units and services of the organisation.
In a welcome message in the booklet, Mrs Johnson, the Chief Probation Officer, stated in part: “It is my distinct pleasure to offer this booklet to the public outlining the work of the Department. With the increasing recognition and focus on alternatives to incarceration, over the years, the Department of Probation has been a viable option to the Courts in addressing and managing behaviour. From 2005 the Department has provided a number of activities and programmes geared towards the rehabilitation of both juvenile and adult offenders.”
Mrs Johnson added: “This booklet would not have been possible without the hard work of Ms Shanette Brooks, Probation Officer (Adult), who voluntarily took on the challenge of this production. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to her for this undertaking. It must also be noted that this work could not be possible without the commitment and dedication of staff to this challenging, but rewarding, area of work.
The Revised Vision and Mission Statements of the Probation Department also form part of the handbook.
