Correctional Services Department 2022 Annual Review

Being steadfast in its role as the last element of the criminal justice system, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) has committed itself to maintaining a safe and secure custodial environment for persons in custody to rehabilitate. Following the black-clad violence in 2019, a large number of people violating the National Security Law or relevant offences, including radicals and those committing serious offences, have been admitted into correctional institutions, posing certain threats to institutional stability and order. To prevent radical persons in custody from organising collective actions against the institutional management by abusing the power of the masses like those outside institutions, the Security Sub-unit under the QAD has adopted “zero tolerance” and “pre-emptive” strategies to nip those actions in the bud through an effective intelligence network and frequent search operations.

Eliminating gambling and other illicit activities in correctional institutions is one of the essential tasks of the Security Sub-unit. During the FIFA World Cup 2022, through establishing a reliable intelligence network, the Security Sub-unit implemented a series of anti-gambling measures and stepped up its search operations to thwart the concealment of contraband and the smuggling of contraband into correctional institutions by persons in custody to ensure a safe and secure custodial environment. In 2022, the Security Sub-unit conducted 229 joint search operations, 12 094 special search operations and 162 night raid operations in various correctional institutions with remarkable results.

Over the years, the Security Sub-unit has been exploring the introduction of new technologies to stamp out the smuggling of drugs into correctional institutions in order to ensure a drug-free environment for persons in custody to rehabilitate. Since the introduction of the related technologies, the number of cases involving the smuggling of drugs into correctional institutions has dropped drastically. In 2022, the Department intercepted six drug smuggling cases.

The Inspectorate Sub-unit under the QAD is responsible for conducting systematic and quality inspections of correctional facilities having regard to the operational risks to ensure departmental policies are followed, rules and regulations are duly complied with, approved procedures and standards are consistently maintained, and resources are put to good use for enhancing efficiency. In 2022, the Inspectorate Sub-unit conducted a total of four full inspections, 26 thematic inspections, 28 follow-up inspections, 12 security inspections and 14 surprise visits in various correctional facilities.

As regards training, the Inspectorate and Security Unit has organised job-related sharing and training sessions, covering new topics such as the National Security Law, the management of radical persons in custody and integrity management, etc., and made use of scenario training to strengthen staff members’ ability to deal with emergency situations.

The Management Services and Research Unit (MSRU) comprises Management Services Sub-unit and Research Sub-unit.

The Management Services Sub-unit constantly reviews legislation within the Department’s purview, departmental standing orders and operational manuals to ensure that operational needs and demands arising from the changing environment in society can be met. It also conducts studies on the application of innovation and technology to enhance the security system and operational efficiency. The Small Unmanned Aircraft Order came into effect on 1 June 2022, which regulates the operation of small unmanned aircrafts, including imposing statutory requirements according to the weights and risk levels of small unmanned aircrafts, covering registration and labelling of small unmanned aircrafts, registration of remote pilots, training and assessment, equipment, operational rules, insurance, and restricted flying zones, etc. To comply with the new statutory requirements, the Management Services Sub-unit has reviewed and amended relevant departmental standing orders and operational manuals, and arranged for staff who need to operate small unmanned aircrafts to receive necessary training. After training and assessment, the relevant staff were successfully registered as qualified advanced remote pilots.

The Research Sub-unit provides research support to the Department to enhance its operation, as well as monitoring and review mechanisms. It also assists the Department in maintaining close communication with correctional authorities of different jurisdictions by arranging for staff to participate in international conferences and forums, such as the Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators (APCCA) and International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Annual Conference for exchanges of experience and best practices. In September 2022, the Department participated in the online meeting of the 40th APCCA hosted by the Singapore Prison Service to exchange views with correctional officials and representatives from 24 different countries and regions. In addition to obtaining an understanding of the latest developments in correctional services in various places and learning from different experience in correctional management, the Department has also strengthened contact and communication with counterparts in different places to enhance mutual exchanges and promote the development of correctional services.

On 24 October 2022, the Legal Research Sub-unit was upgraded to the Legal Research Unit (LRU), with the creation of the post of Superintendent (Legal Research and Staff Adjudication) as the head of the LRU who is responsible for handling disciplinary cases of staff members in order to enhance the professionalism of staff disciplinary proceedings. The LRU coordinates legal matters with far-reaching implications on overall correctional work, coordinates legal consultations between the Department of Justice and relevant units and institutions, and manages the centralised database of legal advice in the Department’s Knowledge Management System to provide legal reference to staff members. With regard to legal training, the LRU organises different courses from time to time to enhance the legal knowledge of staff members to cater for the development of the Department. For example, in 2022, senior officers were arranged to attend the “Training Workshop for Adjudicating Officers in Disciplinary Proceedings” with a view to strengthening their knowledge of disciplinary proceedings.

In recent years, terrorist activities and situations have kept changing, posing grave challenges to global security, including Hong Kong. Since some people involved in the black-clad violence and serious crimes have been detained in correctional institutions, the CSD’s Counter-terrorism Unit (CTU) has been working closely with all member departments of the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit (ICTU) to deal with issues relating to counter-terrorism (CT). The CTU is committed to minimising the potential risk of terrorism and eliminating the breeding or spread of any terrorist activities in correctional facilities through enhancing the intelligence network and security system.

Since its establishment, the CTU has proactively arranged for correctional officers to participate in CT-related training courses so as to strengthen their awareness of and alertness to CT-related matters, and enhance the professionalism of CT-related work.

To enable correctional officers to respond to possible terrorist attacks in the course of duty, the Department organised a departmental exercise code-named “Concord XXI” on 30 November 2022, which covered new training topics on the handling of explosives and operation of unmanned aircrafts to test the capabilities of various units and frontline officers in dealing with emergencies, as well as to enhance the communication, co-ordination and response capabilities between the Department and other law enforcement agencies. About 150 staff members, including those from the Correctional Emergency Response Team and the Regional Response Team of the CSD, the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Government Flying Service, took part in the exercise.

In addition, from November to December 2022, the CTU introduced CT-related training to various regional exercises of the Department to familiarise correctional officers with the handling of different incidents.

In order to strengthen CT-related community education and promote the development of “A Safe Community”, the CTU, in close collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, organised various public education events, including CT@Community Activity Day held at the Church of Christ in China Hoh Fuk Tong College in Tuen Mun on 10 August 2022, Tai Po Junior Police Call School Engagement Day on 22 October 2022, and an exhibition booth in the 56th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo on 14 December 2022, with a view to promoting CT-related knowledge and raise public awareness of and alertness to CT through direct exchanges with the public.

The Complaints Investigation Unit (CIU) is an independent establishment appointed by the Commissioner of Correctional Services, which is responsible for handling and investigating all complaints within its purview expeditiously, thoroughly and impartially and processing every single complaint in a systematic way in accordance with the standards of the ISO Quality Management Systems, with a view to preventing similar complaints and constantly upgrading the overall service quality of the Department.

In 2022, the CIU received 336 complaints/requests/enquiries from persons in custody, members of the public and staff. Among them, 102 complaint cases entailed full investigation by the CIU, 11 complaint cases entailed referral to and handling by institutions under CIU’s monitoring, one complaint case was resolved by mediation service and 222 were requests/enquiries. Besides, the Correctional Services Department Complaints Committee (CSDCC) examined and endorsed the investigation reports of 107 complaint cases and made 38 recommendations for service improvement.

The CIU endeavours to complete each complaint investigation within 18 weeks. For checks and balances, the CSDCC examines the findings of the CIU and decides on the outcome of the investigations.

Complainants who are dissatisfied with the investigation outcome of their complaints may appeal to the Correctional Services Department Complaints Appeal Board (CSDCAB). Its independence ensures that all appeal cases are handled impartially. In 2022, non-official members of the CSDCAB included 27 Justices of the Peace and four religious persons.