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forms have been revised and republished during the past year. An effort is made to incorporate the latest and best ideas on the subject, forms being secured for comparison from courts in all parts of the country. During the year 66,479 copies of forms were sent out for the use of probation officers in the State. While this distribution entails much work and expense, we believe it is of great value in bringing about thorough record keeping and a measure of uniformity in the State. It is especially helpful to be able to supply to newly appointed probation officers who often begin their work without any previous knowledge of the same and without any office equipment, a complete set for starting their work.

OFFICE AND STATISTICAL WORK

Monthly statistical reports have been received from all probation officers throughout the State, as has been done since the Commission was established. All facts appearing on these reports are carefully tabulated and the results appear in this report. A valuable feature of these reports added during the past year is the receiving of reports from each officer on his home visits and in regard to parole cases under his supervision. A separate report is also received upon cases of children under supervision and informal probation.

By means of these regular reports and much correspondence with probation officers, as well as by visits, the Commission endeavors to keep informed as to the work of the officers in all parts of the State that it may know the results, needs, special deficiencies and excellencies of the work being carried on.

A total of 14,947 pieces of mail were sent out by the Commission during the year, of which approximately 3,942 were signed letters; 3,891 were ciruclar letters; 3,788 packages of literature; 2,071 programs of conferences, and 1,255 blank reports.

THE STATE CONFERENCE OF PROBATION OFFICERS

Each year for the past eight years, the Commission has called together the probation officers of the State and others to attend a conference to discuss probation problems and to hear addresses upon various phases of the work. This annual conference has

become an institution in the State. It promotes mutual acquaintance among the officers, and mutual exchange of views and experiences. It has in this way added much to the development of " effective probation and to the co-operation of the probation officers." The eighth annual conference was held in the Education Building, Albany, on November 14, 15 and 16, 1915. Over one hundred persons registered as delegates to the conference, fifty-five of whom were probation officers from all parts of the State. Many of the probation officers attended the conference at their own expense. The Commission has each year endeavored to secure the sending of probation officers to the annual conference at the expense of the cities or counties for which they serve. As the conference undoubtedly makes the officers more efficient, and better equipped to cope with their daily problems, attendance upon the conference should be considered one of their most necessary expenditures.

The conference consisted of three sessions given over to formal addresses by judges and authorities upon the subject of probation work. Among others, the conference was honored by the presence of Governor Charles S. Whitman, whose able address upon the subject, "Effective Probation; Its Place in the Treatment of Crime," will be found published in full in the proceedings which follow. There were held also three sessions given over entirely to informal round-table discussions. The proceedings of the meeting will be found in Appendix D of this report.

NEW YORK CITY CONFERENCES ON PROBATION

For the past five years, the Commission has co-operated with the judges and probation officers of New York city in conducting a series of evening conferences on probation, especially for the probation officers of the city. A joint committee consisting of probation officers from the various courts met with representatives of the Commission and made arrangements for the fifth annual series. The meetings were held in the City Hall on Thursday and Friday evenings from April 22 to May 7, 1915. The attendance was made up largely of probation officers and others engaged in related lines of work. Most of the meetings were given over to general discussion which was very practical and animated. In New York city there are varying methods and ideas in vogue in the probation work of the different courts. The bringing together

of the officers of the city once a year has served to unify the different plans of work and improve the general standard. The plan of placing responsibility for conducting meetings more largely in the hands of the probation officers themselves proved successful. The proceedings, in part, will be found in Appendix C.

THE CONFERENCE OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF MAGISTRATES

The State Association of Magistrates was organized independently in 1909 as a result of an invitation extended by the Commission to city judges to meet in an informal conference at Albany in that year. The Commission has always co-operated very closely with the Association, its secretary acting as secretary of the Association. The President, Hon. George C. Appell, City Judge of Mount Vernon, the Vice-President, Hon. Edward J. Dooley, City Magistrate of Brooklyn, the other members of the Executive Committee and special committees, co-operating with the Secretary, have been active during the past year in efforts to improve and standardize the magistrates' courts of the State. Efforts have been chiefly directed toward securing legislation and constitutional amendments and toward increasing interest in the Association. In this connection, the Commission printed a brief prepared by a Committee of the judges on the "Reorganization of the Courts of Limited Jurisdiction" and sent out letters to all judges and to many others in regard to needed Constitutional amendments indorsed by the Association.

The sixth annual conference of the Association was held in Albany on January 19 and 20, 1915. The proceedings of the meeting were published in the last report of the Commission. The seventh annual conference was the most successful and best attended of any yet conducted by the Association. It was held in the Hotel Astor, New York city, on January 21 and 22, 1916, and was attended by 53 judges from all over the State. The proceedings of the meetings are given in Appendix E.

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS

The success and permanence of the probation system depends increasingly upon securing and retaining efficient and experienced officers in the service. Nothing can be more important than the selection of men and women with the requisite adaptability, tact,

knowledge of human nature, character, and interest, and the other qualities which go to make up a good probation officer. Five years' experience in selecting probation officers entirely through civil service examinations in this State has more than justified the system. During the past two years it has been especially evident that the very qualities most essential in probation officers can be ascertained through the right kind of civil service examinations. In every civil service examination held in the State during the past year, two features for which the Commission has long contended have been incorporated: (1) The holding of a practical oral examination; (2) The use of expert examiners familiar with probation work, in the oral part and, in some instances, in all parts of the examination.

All examinations conducted by the State Civil Service Commission for county positions during the past year have consisted of two parts: a practical written examination for which 50 per cent. credit is allowed, and an oral examination, given the same weight, in every case conducted with the assistance of a representative of this Commission. The results of these examinations have been remarkably good. We do not hesitate to state that in every examination held last year, the men or women who were best qualified by personality and experience attained the head of the list. In all except two cases, the appointing magistrate, although having free choice among the first three names, selected the candidate who stood first on the list. On account of these civil service eaxminations, very noticeable improvement in the quality of the probation officers and in the effectiveness of the work done has occurred during the past few years. The Commission appreciates the cordial co-operation of the present State Civil Service Commission in requesting our assistance in all such examinations.

A representative of the Commission also assisted in examinations conducted by two Municipal Civil Service Commissions during the past year, in one case preparing and conducting the entire

examination.

Following is a list of the examinations in which the Commission has assisted at the request of the civil service commissions during

1915:

Steuben county, January 7th: Examination for two county

probation officers, conducted by the State Civil Service Commission, fourteen candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

Niagara county, January 23d: Examination for county probation officer, conducted by State Civil Service Commission, ten candidates, Commissioner Wade assisting.

St. Lawrence county, January 23d: Examination for county probation officer, conducted by the State Civil Service Commission, fourteen candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

Erie county, April 24th: Examination for Polish county probation officer, conducted by the State Civil Service Commission, ten candidates, Commissioner Wade assisting.

Orange county, April 17th: Examination for county probation. officer, conducted by the State Civil Service Commission, seventeen candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

Westchester county, June 5th: Examination by the State Civil Service Commission for county probation officer, forty-two candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

Buffalo, August 12th: Examination for Polish city probation officer, conducted by the municipal civil service commission, ten candidates, Commissioner Wade assisting.

Bronx county, September 3 and 4: Examination for county probation officer, conducted by the State Civil Service Commission, 105 candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

Albany, October 29th: Examination for woman probation officer, conducted by the municipal civil service commission, twenty candidates, the secretary, Mr. Chute, assisting.

DEVELOPMENTS OF THE YEAR RELATING TO PROBATION

The year 1915 was one of progress in the development of a successful probation system in the courts of the State. Progress is shown in the number of persons cared for on probation which exceeds that of any previous year by 159, in the number of cities, counties, towns and villages using probation, and especially in the increased number of salaried probation officers. The general figures showing the use of probation during the past fiscal year compared with those of the preceding year are shown in the table which follows:

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