VPRS 4464 Parole, Probation, Community Field Services and Community Based Order Client Files (Sample only)

Full description

The series consists of client files for persons whose release from prison detention was dependant on the Adult Parole Board and/or who were sentenced to an alternative to prison detention.

In 1961, under the provisions of the Social Welfare Act 1960 (No.6651) responsibility for juvenile offenders was assumed by the Social Welfare Branch (VA 2784) until 1971 when responsibility was transferred to the newly established Social Welfare Department (VA 946) under the provisions of the Social Welfare Act 1970 (No.8089).

In 1979, following the establishment of the Department of Community Welfare Services (VA 613) under the provisions of the Community Welfare Services Act 1978 (No.9248), there was a major re-organisation of the provision of community welfare services. In particular there was a clear separation of the administration of adult and juvenile correctional services which had also been evident in the Social Welfare Department. From 1979 there was a further shift in administrative perspective and juvenile correctional services became far more closely linked to the provision of family and child welfare services.

When in 1983, the Office of Corrections (VA 1063) assumed responsibility for the administration of the prison system and adult correctional services, responsibility for juvenile correctional services and institutions remained with the Department of Community Welfare Services (VA 613). In 1985 responsibility was transferred to the newly established Department of Community Services (also known as Community Services Victoria) (VA 2633).

The series title has been determined by the Public Record Office. Originally the files were variously titled by the recording agencies as Probation and Parole files (to 1976), Correctional Field Service files (to 1984) and Community Based Corrections client files. Four departmental Divisions were responsible for the creation of the files. They were the Probation and Parole Division of the Social Welfare branch of the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 2784) (to 1971) and the Social Welfare Department (VA 946) (to 1979), the Regional Service Division of the Department of Community Welfare Services (VA 613) (to 1983), Correctional Field Services Division of the Department of Community Services (VA 2633) and the Community Based Corrections Division of the Office of Corrections (VA 1063).

Each file documents the administration of an individuals case from the time when a person left prison custody under an Adult Parole Board Order until the expiry of their period of parole and/or the period during which a client served a non-custodial order. The contents of a file are a mixture of original and duplicate documents including sentencing orders, social worker reports, social histories, committal forms, copies of inward/outward correspondence and the final report drafted on completion of the order. Copies of some documents may be found in other sources, notably the prisoner classification files (held at Pentridge) and Adult Parole Board files. Those files, however, are the only source detailing a persons compliance with a non custodial order. The series covers both adult and child offenders until 1983. From 1983 files relating to child offenders were maintained by the Department of Community Services. All responsibility for the provision of services for juvenile offenders remained with the Department of Community Services.