The Correctional Services Department (CSD) and the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) held the "NGO Forum 2016 cum Outstanding NGO Volunteer Award Presentation Ceremony" today (December 22). The forum this year had "Join hands to reduce crime" as its theme and aimed to enable participants through knowledge sharing and practical experience exchange to explore how to combine social strengths to reduce crime.
 
     Officiating at the forum, the Chairman of Merchants Supports for Rehabilitated Offenders Committee, Dr Ho Wai-kuen, said that he hoped there would be in-depth discussion and reflection through the forum to collate ideas, consolidate related stakeholders in the community to work together to reduce crime, and encourage positive attitudes among persons in custody and rehabilitated persons.
 
     The Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Yau Chi-chiu, said that the CSD has long been working closely with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide a wide range of professional rehabilitation programmes for persons in custody and rehabilitated persons. In order to reduce crime more comprehensively and effectively, the CSD endeavours to promote community education to help young people develop positive values in life and become law-abiding citizens with a view to reducing crime.

       He said this is the 10th consecutive year that the CSD and CityU have jointly held the NGO Forum with the hope of using the platform to bring together efforts and resources from different fronts and combine insights and precious experiences. The CSD will continue to work with different stakeholders in the community to build a more harmonious and inclusive Hong Kong. 

     The Provost of the CityU, Professor Alex Jen, said that CityU and the CSD have organised the NGO Forum together for many years and will continue to sustain the development to promote rehabilitation work. Besides organising the Forum, CityU will also strengthen its partnership with the CSD in areas such as conducting various research projects, providing voluntary services at correctional institutions and arranging for students to visit correctional institutions. He said that the Forum had brought talents together including NGO representatives and volunteers, which would strengthen communication and the optimisation of community resources to build up positive attitudes among rehabilitated persons.

     Around 250 NGO representatives, academics, volunteers and CSD staff attended the Forum. NGO representatives participated in discussion sessions on how to work together to reduce crime. Sixty-four NGO volunteers were also awarded commendations in recognition of their voluntary work for persons in custody during the previous year.

Ends/Thursday, December 22, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:27

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