Strike by probation and parole officers leave offenders unsupervised
Probation and parole officers who have been following industrial action for the past two months are leaving many offenders unsupervised, an association said yesterday.
In a statement, the Maltese Association of Social Workers (MASW) expressed solidarity with probation and parole officers, who, it said, have been following union directives since January 19. The directives were given in protest at their “excessive caseloads”.
“Due to this industrial action, a large number of offenders are not being supervised.
“This is causing a lack of social stability, thus increasing the risk of the frequency of crime and putting the public at risk,” the statement said.
The MASW urged the authorities to provide these officers with better conditions so that they could enhance the “vital service” they were providing.
Both probation and parole officers are court officials appointed to supervise offenders with a probation period or inmates who are provisionally released on parole.
A probation order can last for between one and three years.
UĦM director Mario Sacco told Times of Malta that, while the collective agreement provides a clause that each officer should be assigned a maximum of 55 cases, there are no agreements or terms on what happens when an officer takes on more cases.
In line with the union directive, officers were instructed to not engage in any form of communication with clients or take on new clients.
Sacco said discussions between members, the home affairs ministry’s permanent secretary and the UĦM have been ongoing for the past few months and the last meeting took place two weeks ago.
“During that meeting, we proposed a scheme for officers who want to take up more than 55 cases to do so on a pro-rata basis,” he said, adding that the union is waiting to hear back from the government.
Former Nationalist MP and lawyer Jason Azzopardi highlighted the strike back in February, when he shared an e-mail highlighting the directives.
Speaking to Times of Malta, Azzopardi said the strike is not only causing delays in courtrooms but is also having a negative social impact.
“In many cases, the probation officer is the first person to give these people a sense of discipline,” he said.
“These officers are the ones who make sure offenders receive the treatment they need. What is happening now is that those people who have been on probation for the past two years and have been on a positive road to recovery are now left with no communication from their probation officer and might stray back to their bad habits.”