Hong Kong Correctional Services Annual Review 2013[ Commissioner’s Foreword] [ Operations and Institutional Management ] [ Rehabilitation ] [ Industries and Vocational Training ] [ Human Resource Management ] [ Quality Assurance ] [ Administration and Planning ] [ Green Management ] [ Appendices ] |
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Commissioner's ForewordIn 2013, the average daily penal population was 9 206, representing a slight decrease of 0.4 per cent from the figure of 9 247 in 2012, and the average occupancy rate was about 80 per cent. However, due to a decline in the number of persons in custody (PICs) in the second half of 2013, the penal population at the end of last year actually dropped by 2.8 per cent as compared to the figure at the end of 2012. Last year, 112 high security risk PICs were newly admitted into our penal institutions. Among them, about 87 per cent had committed serious drug-related offences and 54 per cent had come from other countries. According to statistics covering the past few years, admission of offenders who had committed serious crimes and been sentenced to long imprisonment has remained on the high side, and a substantial proportion of these offenders were convicted of drug-related offences and were from other countries. Although the penal population has been decreasing, in recent years there were significant increases in the numbers of cases whereby PICs required accident and emergency services at public hospitals due to acute illnesses or accidental injuries, were admitted to hospital because of sickness or needed regular specialist treatment for chronic diseases in outside clinics. The medical escort duties involved amounted to about 36 000 days of work in 2012, and the number increased to about 39 700 days in 2013, representing an increase of over 10 per cent. In respect of custodial facilities, more than half of our 29 correctional institutions have been in operation for over 35 years and some of them were actually converted from buildings not purpose-built as prisons. This has created serious constraints in the development of correctional work. We are now proactively implementing redevelopment and improvement works. For example, the partial redevelopment project currently under way at Tai Lam Centre for Women will, upon completion, provide 108 additional penal places as well as enhance existing facilities, including those catering for high security risk female PICs. The project is scheduled for completion in 2016. The Correctional Services Department (CSD) places dual emphasis on custodial and rehabilitative services. Discipline and order in correctional institutions provide PICs with an organised and secure custodial environment in which they can reflect deeply and strengthen their determination to start afresh. They can also plan to equip and prepare themselves during their time in prison for reintegration into society and turning over a new leaf upon discharge. In fact, most of the PICs are disciplined and determined to rehabilitate. However, some individuals tend to get involved in misconduct from time to time, thus affecting prison discipline and the safety of others. We will spare no efforts to combat and suppress acts of indiscipline. In 2013, there were 3 261 disciplinary cases in penal institutions, with 2 157 PICs violating prison rules. Among them, 210 breached discipline three times or more, while the number of PICs disciplined for involvement in gambling activities was 132. There were 477 cases of acts of violence in penal institutions last year, and these mainly involved fighting among PICs and assaults. Forty-eight cases of a more serious nature were reported to the Police for follow-up action in accordance with criminal procedures. Among them, 23 cases involved correctional officers being assaulted during the course of their duty and they mostly only sustained slight injury. There was no case of escape in the year. As is the case in the wider community, some PICs exhibit self-harm behaviour for various reasons. In 2013, there were 81 cases of self-harm by PICs. The great majority of these cases were discovered in time and the PICs were stopped or rescued by correctional officers. Unfortunately, one PIC died despite first aid efforts. To strengthen the security of penal institutions and prevent the smuggling of dangerous drugs concealed inside the body, the first low-radiation X-ray body scanner was put into full use in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in early 2013 to replace the previous practice of manual rectal search. After the new equipment was put into operation, the number of seizures of dangerous drugs in penal institutions decreased to 95 last year, as compared to 158 in the previous year, representing a significant decrease of 40 per cent. Among them, there were 67 cases of dangerous drugs being concealed inside the body, representing a significant decrease of 41 per cent over the previous year's figure, and most cases were detected by the X-ray body scanner. We plan to install this security equipment in three other institutions, namely Tai Lam Centre for Women, Lo Wu Correctional Institution (LWCI) and Pik Uk Correctional Institution. Furthermore, the CSD introduced a Human Presence Detection System and a closed circuit television system equipped with video analytical function last year in order to strengthen security facilities at penal institutions for the prevention of escape and to assist correctional officers in executing their duties more effectively. The Department will continue to review the effectiveness of the systems and explore the feasibility of installing them in more institutions in phases. The Department is still facing a peak period of staff retirement and has to continue to recruit a large number of correctional officers to fill vacancies. A number of Hong Kong citizens who are not ethnic Chinese applied for the posts last year and, for the first time since Hong Kong's reunification, five of them were appointed. As PICs in correctional institutions are of different nationalities, having staff with knowledge of the PICs' languages and cultures will be an advantage. Citizens from different ethnic backgrounds who are interested in correctional work are welcome to join our team. In regard to the promotion of rehabilitation work, the Department is working closely with some 80 non-government organisations (NGOs) to implement diversified and appropriate rehabilitation initiatives, as well as provide comprehensive supervision services, to help offenders turn over a new leaf and reintegrate into society. With the active encouragement of correctional officers, more than 900 adult PICs studied in part-time academic courses last year, and some of them even acquired bachelor's degrees. Having regard to the needs of the market, we have kept working with various training bodies in providing more than 30 market-oriented vocational training courses to PICs. Last year, some 1 000 adult PICs enrolled in these courses on a voluntary basis. The Department has co-operated with the Construction Industry Council and the Vocational Training Council to introduce new vocational courses, namely the Bar-bending and Fixing Skill Course and the Timber Formwork Skill Course, as well as those on Travel Agent Assistant Training and Hong Kong Style Café Operation. This year, we will continue to provide more vocational training courses for trades with heavy market demand, such as Professional Taxi Driver Training (Taxi Written Test), thereby facilitating PICs' smooth reintegration into society upon release. Last December, the CSD held the first Thank-you Day to let PICs express their gratitude towards personnel and volunteers of NGOs who have been caring for them. Different activities planned on the theme of gratefulness were held in all penal facilities on the same day. Through these activities, PICs were able to express their deepest gratitude. We promote environmentally friendly initiatives in penal institutions to encourage PICs to care for the community. We introduced the Waste No Food Scheme at LWCI in early 2013 and called for the participation of female PICs. The portions of staple food in the meals of the voluntary participants were suitably reduced in order to minimise leftovers. Since the implementation of the Scheme, the response has been very encouraging. The participation rate has increased from 50 per cent at the start to 80 per cent lately, which is equivalent to about 950 PICs. In the first 11 months after launching the Scheme, LWCI achieved cumulative savings of about 16 000 kilograms of rice, 460kg of potatoes and 90kg of wheat flour. Moreover, LWCI has installed a food waste decomposing machine which can convert 100kg of food waste into organic fertiliser every day. The organic fertiliser is used for greening purposes in the vicinity of LWCI. In view of the favourable response to the Scheme, we have already extended it to Ma Hang Prison and Nei Kwu Correctional Institution. We see protecting the public and reducing crime as our responsibilities. To promote anti-crime awareness, enhance understanding of the detrimental effects of drugs and disseminate the message of supporting offender rehabilitation among young people, the Department has been implementing the Rehabilitation Pioneer Project for five years. The new elements of "Creation and Rehabilitation", which include drama and music performance, were introduced in 2012. Last year, some 300 secondary school students were invited for the first time to attend a drama performance inside a maximum security prison. The drama was created, directed and performed by PICs who had committed serious crimes, and carried the messages of fighting crime and offender rehabilitation. After the performance, the PICs held discussions with the students and shared experience on the serious consequences of committing crimes. The feedback from the participating students was positive. This year, we will continue to enhance the project and organise activities related to moral and civic education for the young generation. The Department went through a busy year in 2013. The year of 2014 will undoubtedly be another year full of challenges. My colleagues and I will continue to do our utmost to serve the community with dedication and commitment and contribute to the stability of Hong Kong.
SIN Yat-kin, CSDSM
Directorate Officers
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