The government adopted a bill Tuesday that will extend the terms of volunteer probation officers from two years to three years.
The draft revision to the volunteer probation officers law is aimed at helping secure people who will take on the role of watching over the rehabilitation of individuals who committed crimes or delinquent acts, as well as improving the environment for the officers' activities.
The government hopes that the bill will be enacted during the current session of the Diet, the country's parliament, ending in December.
The revision would call on the government to find and provide locations at which volunteer probation officers can meet with those on probation, in order to ensure their safety. It also has a new provision that urges corporations to accommodate employees who serve as volunteer probation officers.
The key requirement for commissioning volunteer probation officers would be changed from having "social credibility" to "high character and insight," to promote the appointment of a diverse range of people.
Volunteer probation officers are private volunteers commissioned by the justice minister.
Calls for improving their working conditions grew after a male officer was killed by a person on probation during a meeting in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, in May 2024.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.