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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, in the Legislative Council today (January 11):
Question:
Regarding the Correctional Services Department's giving inmates injections with tranquillisers, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the total number of cases in which inmates were injected with tranquillisers in each of the past five years, as well as the respective numbers of cases where the inmates claimed to feel unwell after injection and those where the inmates died of complications from the injection; and
(b) whether it will consider using other means (e.g. mechanical restraint) as far as possible to deal with agitated and violence-prone inmates; if not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Correctional Services Department (CSD) started to compile statistics on injection of tranquillisers for inmates in 2003. The total number of injections on inmates from 2003 to 2005 is as follows:
2003 2004 2005
---- ---- ----
Inmates at the 714 643 599
Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre
Inmates at other 116 130 218
penal institutions
----- --- --- ---
Total 830 773 817
Generally speaking, injection of tranquillisers may cause temporary mild discomfort, including slight soreness at the injection point and thirst. According to CSD's records, during the said period, no inmates suffered from severe discomfort after injection of tranquillisers or died of complications from such injections.
(b) CSD has established procedures for frontline officers to follow in handling agitated or violence-prone inmates. Staff may use strait jackets to control such inmates or/and place them in a protected room to prevent them from injuring themselves or others. Tranquillisers will be administered to inmates only when the medical officers of the penal institutions consider it necessary based on their professional assessment.
Ends/Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:19
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