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Efforts in rehabilitative services aimed at better helping rehabilitated offenders land jobs and re-integrate into society remained a major task for the Correctional Services Department (CSD), the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Pang Sung-yuen, said today (Tuesday, January 17).
A strong partnership had thus been fostered by the CSD with the private sector in this regard. The "One Company One Job" campaign launched with the private sector to help rehabilitated offenders find jobs continued in full swing in 2005.
The aim was that this worthwhile campaign would be extended to all 18 districts, Mr Pang added.
Speaking at the CSD's Annual Press Conference, Mr Pang also said the CSD rehabilitation volunteer group and the "Continuing Care Project" with NGOs took great strides in meeting the goal of helping rehabilitated offenders.
To cater for the employment needs of rehabilitated offenders, the CSD continued implementing practical training courses, including the popular certificate course on forklift truck operation. Recently, the department also teamed up with a group to offer young female inmates a seven-week facial beauty care course.
Mr Pang said adult offenders were also encouraged to pursue educational studies after work and assistance was provided through staff and volunteers.
On the vocational training front, the CSD continued a pilot programme at Lai Sun Correctional Institution in which vocational training is provided for rehabilitated adult offenders. Plans were in hand to convert the institution into a pre-release vocational training centre for adult offenders, Mr Pang added.
Mr Pang said the penal population remained high in 2005, although not as high as in 2004.
At the end of last week, there were 11,372 prisoners, compared with 11,052 penal places. This represented a shortfall of 320 places.
While the overall occupancy rate was 103%, at female institutions it was at a staggering 170%, Mr Pang added.
To cope with the demand for penal places, a number of projects were put in place. These included redeveloping Lo Wu Correctional Institution to provide 1,400 places, and redeveloping the staff quarters next to Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre as Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institution to provide 650 places, Mr Pang said.
The department had also fine-tuned the methodology used to compile the rate of recidivism, he said.
The new methodology does no count offences committed before an offender's current imprisonment as "re-offending". The refined recidivism rate for both 1999 and 2000 was 46.6% and that for 2001 was 45.1%, compared with 49.5% (1999), 48.2% (2000) and 48.5% (2001).
Ends/Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:04
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