As the ratio of repeat offenders under criminal law remains high in Japan, the role of volunteer probation officers who guide and support people on probation has become increasingly important.
However, the system of relying on such volunteers ¡ª called hogoshi,?who work in a community in cooperation with professional probation officers ¡ª?faces mounting challenges, from aging and shortages of personnel to growing concerns about their safety after the killing of a volunteer officer in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, in 2024.
In Miyagi Prefecture, those on the front lines are searching for ways to achieve?a safe and sustainable rehabilitation system that is rooted in local community.
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