Probation of Offenders Act - Singapore Statutes Online

Probation

5.—(1) Where a court by or before which a person is convicted of an offence (not being an offence the sentence for which is fixed by law) is of the opinion that having regard to the circumstances, including the nature of the offence and the character of the offender, it is expedient to do so, the court may, instead of sentencing him, make a probation order, that is to say, an order requiring him to be under the supervision of a probation officer or a volunteer probation officer for a period to be specified in the order of not less than one year nor more than 3 years.

(2) A probation order may in addition require the offender to comply during the whole or any part of the probation period with such requirements as the court, having regard to the circumstances of the case, considers necessary for securing the good conduct of the offender or for preventing a repetition by him of the same offence or the commission of other offences:

Provided that (without prejudice to the power of the court to make an order under section 10(2)) the payment of sums by way of damages for injury or compensation for loss shall not be included among the requirements of a probation order.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), a probation order may include requirements relating to the residence of the offender:

Provided that —

(a)	before making an order containing any such requirements, the court shall consider the home surroundings of the offender; and
(b)	where the order requires the offender to reside in an approved institution, the name of the institution and the period for which he is so required to reside shall be specified in the order, and that period shall not extend beyond 12 months from the date of the order.

(4) Before making a probation order, the court shall explain to the offender in ordinary language the effect of the order (including any additional requirements proposed to be inserted therein under subsection (2) or (3)) and that if he fails to comply therewith or commits another offence he will be liable to be sentenced for the original offence; and if the offender is not less than 14 years of age the court shall not make the order unless he expresses his willingness to comply with the requirements thereof.

(5) The probation officer or volunteer probation officer who is to be responsible for the supervision of any probationer shall be selected by the court which makes the probation order, and if the probation officer or volunteer probation officer so selected dies or is unable for any reason to carry out his duties, or if the probation committee dealing with the case considers it desirable that another officer should take his place, another probation officer or volunteer probation officer shall be selected by the court.

(6) Where a woman or girl is placed under the supervision of a probation officer or volunteer probation officer, the probation officer or volunteer probation officer, as the case may be, shall be a woman.

[47/75]

(7) The court by which a probation order is made under this section shall forthwith give copies of the order to the Chief Probation Officer who shall give a copy thereof to —

(a)	the probationer;
(b)	the probation officer or volunteer probation officer who is to be responsible for the supervision of the probationer; and
(c)	the person in charge of any institution in which the probationer is required by the order to reside. [47/75]

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