PROBATION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF SIR JOHN AUGUSTUS

Abstract

“No man is a born criminal”. The society respects a man only with high profile while those offenders are always in the hurt of their past which keeps on wounding them through the means of social behaviour. It is this society which impedes a man from renaissance. Even lord says “Sinner are wash with the blood of the Christ”. There is this life giving elixir which provides for an opportunity to offenders to life their social life. This paper specifically deals about the well-known “father of probation” Sir John Augustus and his contribution towards reformation of offenders. Augustus is considered by many to be the “father of probation, “because many of the practices he created, often with slight changes, continue to survive and are at the heart of today’s probation. Illustrative is today’s pre-sentence investigation, which is a report to the court, designed to assist in determining an appropriate sentence. Although current reports may be more inclusive, better structured, and written rather than delivered verbally, the inherent underlying purpose remains the same. Then as now, an interview of the defendant and the collection of relevant materials serve to help the court determine sentence. Required today prior to the passing of sentence in many courts, it remains one of the major components of probation practice.