In prisons, the probation service has responsibilty for voluntary aftercare and supervision of parolees. It also has responsibility for a range of administrative procedures and is the focal point for social work. As a result of pragmatic constraints, the social work role often is limited to writing reports of use to the penal system and possibly the inmate, preparing some inmates for release, offering help in selected cases, facilitating contact with family and friends of inmates, and advocating a probation service perspective on prison councils. In helping parolees prepare for release, the prison probation officer reports on the inmate and his home circumstances and helps find postrelease accommodation if needed. Because of the possibility of recidivism after release, probation officers must remain alert to danger signals, and currently the probation service is moving towards strict, more frequent supervision of releasees. 14 references.