The Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice has conducted a survey concerning persons related to organized crime groups who were on probation with suspended execution of sentence, based on probationary supervision case records. The aim was to identify their characteristics, the state of implementation and progress of probationary supervision, and so on. In total, the survey covered302persons for whom probationary supervision had been terminated between January1and October31,1998.
1 Characteristics of Persons Surveyed
  Two-thirds of the persons covered by the survey were members of or in close contact with three criminal groups:Yamaguchi-gumi, Inagawa-kai and Sumiyoshi-kai. By status within or relationship with the criminal groups, leaders, members and quasi-members accounted for9.7%,37.5%and6.7%of the persons surveyed, respectively.
  26.0%of the persons surveyed acceded to or started their relationship with the criminal groups when they were19years old or younger, while31.3%began such contacts in their early20s.
2 Implementation of Probationary Supervision
  The survey indicates that contact and identification of actual situation during the period of probationary supervision were difficult for some60%of the persons covered by the survey. As many as26.9%of them were missing at some time during the period of probationary supervision.
3 Progress of Persons Surveyed
  As regards the reasons for termination of probationary supervision, the term had expired for62.6%of the persons covered by the survey, while35.8%benefited from the cancellation of probationary supervision. The ratio of cancellation was slightly higher than for all persons on probation with suspended execution of sentence for whom probationary supervision was terminated in1999.
  14.4%of recidivists against whom a request for formal trial was made for the repeat offense had a relationship with organized crime groups. The ratio fell to11.9%for recidivists who received dispositions of fines, etc. , or suspended prosecution for the repeat offense.