HOGOSHI
A successful and practical system ofcommunity volunteers supporting offender
reintegration in Japan

ANDO Ryoko
President, Tochigi Prefectural Volunteer Probation Officers
Association (HOGOSHI)IMAFUKU Shoji
Director General, Rehabilitation Bureau, Ministry of JusticeJapan

Introduction: Core Values of Hogoshi
Who is hogoshi?
Citizen volunteer who supports the rehabilitation of offenders in the community
Commissioned by the Justice Minister based on the Volunteer Probation Officers Act
No salary provided (except for reimbursement of travel expenditures, etc.)
Rooted in Japan for more than 130 years. Now fully established as the effective
offender rehabilitation system in Japan

Core values
Accept probationers/parolees as neighbors
Provide them with empathetic care, consultation and advice by standing on
their side as a citizen volunteer, not a law enforcement officer
Build inclusive community by “bridges” “raising awareness” ”supporting bonds
between people and addressing social isolation”
Volunteerism : hope for happiness of others and the community

21How did I become a Hogoshi?
My career, along with various backgrounds, as a hogoshi
1968 Qualified as a veterinarian
1979 Studied at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University ofPretoria, South Africa
My third child was born
1985-1989 Researcher at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of La Plata, Argentina
1991 Elected as member of Oyama City Council, Tochigi
Prefecture
1994 Commissioned as a hogoshi by the Minister of Justice2015 President of the Tochigi Prefectural Federation ofVolunteer Probation Officers’ Association

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Interaction between Hogoshi and Probationers
Duties of hogoshi worthwhile to accomplish
Observe small gestures of probationers
to understand what they are thinking;
At the interview, create atmosphere/space where they can talkopenheartedly;
Build mutual trust by doing so; andNoticing positive changes in them; It is
an attractive reward for being hogoshi

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Public Understanding
Why public understanding is necessary for offender reintegration?
How hogoshi contributes to creation of peaceful and secure community?
Offenders will eventually come back to oursociety.
Excluding ex-offenders from our society will
NOT solve the problems.
Using local knowledge of hogoshi to connect
probationers/parolees with local resources tocreate positive relationships
Hogoshi demonstrate pure fraternal concern
about the welfare of probationers/parolees as
their fellow citizens living in the samecommunity based on mutual trust
Supporting rehabilitation ofprobationers/parolees through activities topromote the understanding and cooperation of
their local communities.

Realization of an inclusive society where “No one will be left behind”

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Cooperation with Other Hogoshi as Like-Minded Fellows
Function of Local Volunteer Probation Officers’ Association
Consultations about their respective
probation/parole cases
Training to improve supervision/support skills
Crime prevention activities in their localcommunity
Offender Rehabilitation Support CenterPlace where like-minded fellows of hogoshi can advance together toward their sharedgoal, by sharing and solving various problems in offender reintegration in cooperation.
The Offender Rehabilitation Support Center, established exclusively for activities forhogoshi, plays an important role.
63Partnership with Various Stakeholders
Goals and Challenges(persons)
50,000

Smooth supervision andsupport of probationers/
parolees30

47,50046,358 volunteers( as of 1 Jan 2021)

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Percentage of females

Stable recruitment of hogoshi incooperation with other
45,000volunteerorganizations/partners20

Number of hogoshi

42,50040,000

15
2001

2005

2010

2015

2020

Promotion of the understanding about duties and activities of hogoshi throughpartnerships with other stakeholders
Significant impact on public understanding in recent years through visualizing activities ofhogoshi
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Thank you for your kind attention!

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