A panel titled “The probation system in its 20th year: The role of social work on the path from execution to rehabilitation” was organized by the Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Social Work.

The panel emphasized that probation practices are not merely a control mechanism, highlighting the critical role of social work in the rehabilitation of individuals, the strengthening of their social ties, and their reintegration into society.

“Probation is a process of transformation”

Delivering the opening speech of the panel, Prof. Dr. Ercümend Ersanlı, a faculty member of the Department of Social Work, drew attention to the fact that probation should not be reduced solely to supervision. Ersanlı stated that probation represents a process of transformation that reduces individual risks, makes needs visible, and repairs social bonds.

In his speech, Prof. Dr. Ersanlı stated the following:

“Probation represents not only the ‘supervision’ dimension of the execution process, but also a transformation process that reduces individual risks, makes needs visible, and repairs social bonds. At the center of this transformation lies the social work profession, which prioritizes human dignity, social justice, and a rights-based approach. Social work undertakes critical roles such as assessment, case management, psychosocial support, family-focused interventions, referrals in the fields of addiction and mental health, employment and education linkages, access to community resources, and combating stigma.”

Ersanlı emphasized that reducing reoffending is possible not merely by increasing compliance with rules, but by repairing vulnerabilities in individuals’ lives, strengthening protective factors, and supporting social participation.

Emphasis on university–public cooperation

Highlighting the importance of university–public cooperation, Prof. Dr. Ersanlı stated that experience accumulated in the field makes the real needs of practice visible, while academia offers the opportunity to evaluate and improve this experience through evidence-based methods. He noted that the panel provided an important learning environment for students to observe how theoretical knowledge is reflected in practice.

Experiences from the field were shared

Thanks were extended to the Çarşamba Probation Directorate and Director Habil Kanoğlu for their contributions to the organization of the panel. Murat Koç and İlknur Koca Değim participated in the panel as speakers. The speakers shared evaluations on the 20-year experience of the probation system, field implementation dynamics, challenges encountered in practice, and the rehabilitation-oriented contributions of social work. The program continued with a question-and-answer session.

The panel concluded with joint evaluations involving students and representatives of stakeholder institutions, emphasizing the strengthening of human-centered, rights-based, and socially beneficial practices.