JAPAN'S PROBATION OFFICE ADMINISTERS PROGRAMS FOR ADULT AND JUVENILE PROBATIONERS, TRAINING SCHOOL AND PRISON PAROLEES, AND GUIDANCE HOME PAROLEES THROUGH OFFICES LOCATED IN 50 MAJOR CITIES. SUPERVISION OF CLIENTS IS CARRIED OUT ALMOST ENTIRELY BY VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICERS. REGULAR PROBATION OFFICERS ACT PRIMARILY AS INTAKE WORKERS AND CONSULTANTS TO THE VOLUNTEERS. PROBATIONARY CASEWORK INVOLVES IDENTIFYING CRIMINOGENIC MECHANISMS, DEFINING TREATMENT GOALS, AND APPLYING SUITABLE TREATMENT TECHNIQUES. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT PROBATIONARY TREATMENT DEMANDS A DEGREE OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND SOPHISTICATION THAT OFTEN IS BEYOND THE CAPACITIES OF VOLUNTARY OFFICERS, WHOSE PRIMARY CONTRIBUTIONS TEND TO BE GOOD WILL AND A SENSE OF DEVOTION. JAPAN'S PROBATION OFFICE FACES PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC OFFENDERS PLACED ON PROBATION, A GROWING NUMBER OF 'DYSSOCIAL' YOUTH OFFENDERS, AND THE SHORT DURATION OF THE SUPERVISORY TERM FOR MANY PAROLEES. SPECIAL PROBLEMS RELATE TO THE SUPERVISION AND TREATMENT OF CLIENTS WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GANG ORGANIZATIONS AND CLIENTS SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISEASE. THE TREND TOWARD ALLOWING PROFESSIONAL OFFICERS TO INTERVENE MORE POSITIVELY IN THE FIELD WORK OF VOLUNTEERS IS NOTED, AS ARE SPECIAL PROGRAMS RELATED TO TREATMENT CLASSIFICATION OF CLIENTS, GROUP TREATMENT FOR TRAFFIC OFFENDERS, AND INTENSIVE TREATMENT OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS.