The Parole and Probation Administration (Filipino: Pangasiwaan sa Parol at Probasyon), abbreviated as PPA, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Justice responsible for providing a less costly alternative to imprisonment of first-time offenders who are likely to respond to individualized community-based treatment programs.
History
Probation was first introduced in the Philippines during the American colonial period (1898–1945) with the enactment of Act No. 4221 of the Philippine Legislature on August 7, 1935. This law created a Probation Office under the Department of Justice. On November 16, 1937, after barely two years of existence, the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the Probation Law unconstitutional because of some defects in the law's procedural framework.
In 1972, House Bill No. 393 was filed in Congress, which would establish a probation system in the Philippines. This bill avoided the objectionable features of Act 4221 that struck down the 1935 law as unconstitutional. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives, but was pending in the Senate when Martial Law was declared and Congress was abolished.
In 1975, the National Police Commission Interdisciplinary drafted a Probation Law. After 18 technical hearings over a period of six months, the draft decree was presented to a selected group of 369 jurists, penologists, civic leaders and social and behavioral scientists and practitioners. The group overwhelmingly endorsed the establishment of an Adult Probation System in the country.
On July 24, 1976, Presidential Decree No. 968, also known as Adult Probation Law of 1976, was signed into Law by the President of the Philippines.
The startup of the probation system in 1976-1977 was a massive undertaking during which all judges and prosecutors nationwide were trained in probation methods and procedures; administrative and procedural manuals were developed; probation officers recruited and trained, and the central agency and probation field offices organized throughout the country. Fifteen selected probation officers were sent to United States for orientation and training in probation administration. Upon their return, they were assigned to train the newly recruited probation officers.
The probation system started to operate on January 3, 1978. As more probation officers were recruited and trained, more field offices were opened. There are at present 204 field offices spread all over the country, supervised by 15 regional offices.
Organization
The Probation Administration was created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 968, “The Probation Law of 1976”, signed by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos to administer the probation system.
Under Executive Order No. 292, “The Administrative Code of 1987” which was promulgated on November 23, 1989, the Probation Administration was renamed “Parole and Probation Administration” and given the added function of supervising prisoners who, after serving part of their sentence in jails are released on parole pardon with parole conditions
Effective August 17, 2005, by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Administration performs another additional function of investigating and supervising first-time minor drug offenders who are placed on suspended pursuant to Republic Act No. 9165.
Mission
To rehabilitate and reintegrate persons on community-based corrections for peace and social justice.
Mandate
The Parole and Probation Administration is mandated to conserve and/or redeem convicted offenders and prisoners who are under the probation or parole system.
Goals
The Administration's programs sets to achieve the following goals:
Promote the reformation of criminal offenders and reduce the incidence of recidivism, and Provide a cheaper alternative to the institutional confinement of first-time offenders who are likely to respond to individualized, community-based treatment programs.
Functions
To carry out these goals, the Agency through its network of regional and field parole and probation offices performs the following functions:
to administer the parole and probation system
to exercise supervision over parolees, pardonees and probationers
to promote the correction and rehabilitation of criminal offenders.