Challenging voluntary work

Why volunteers work as probation officers

When offenders are conditionally released from prison, they are obliged to make use of probation assistance.

(Bild: feelimage / Matern)

Rehabilitation and help with re-entry into society instead of long prison sentences: many volunteer probation officers in Styria also provide support in this area. One of them tells the "Krone" about his experiences. 

While final convictions of offenders are on a downward trend, the Neustart association, which is responsible for probation assistance in Austria, is currently seeing a record number of clients - including in Styria. How does this fit together? "The increase cannot be explained by rising crime, but by the fact that courts apparently consider probation assistance to be an effective measure to prevent further crimes and are increasingly ordering it," explains Neustart Managing Director Alfred Kohlberger.