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The Rehabilitation Division saw a solid year of performance in 2006 with continuous improvement made to our rehabilitative services and new initiatives having significant implications taken on board.
The implementation of the Risks and Needs Assessment and Management Protocol for Offenders since October 2006 provides a scientific and evidence-based approach to custodial management and offender rehabilitation. After all, it presents the Division with a good opportunity to review and re-engineer the ways in which rehabilitative services are delivered. The implications are far-reaching, notably that the resources of the Division have to be directed towards managing the risks and needs of offenders which are assessed systematically from now on. We believe that an incremental approach is essential to its successful implementation in the local context as well as for the effective use of resources. We will implement the Protocol conscientiously and in phases, reviewing the progress regularly, learning from experiences gained and revising our implementation strategy whenever necessary. With risks and needs assessment of offenders already off the ground, we will embark on structured rehabilitative programme matching for target offenders in inmate centres starting from 2007.
We have been strengthening the vocational training for offenders in the belief that enhancing their employability is in the interest of their reintegration. The opening and operation of a pre-release vocational training centre for adult offenders on a trial basis in Lai Sun Correctional Institution since July 2006 represents a significant gain in this front. We will closely monitor the operation of this pre-release vocational training centre, and will continue to run suitable, ad hoc vocational training courses for adult offenders in other institutions. Vocational training for offenders will remain a priority of the Division.
On education services, it has always been our objective to provide mainstream education for young offenders to facilitate their bridging to continuing education in the community after release if they so wish. In this connection, we are actively looking into the issues which we need to address before we may introduce the new academic structure for senior secondary education in correctional institutions in 2009. We will strengthen our capability to implement the necessary changes.
We are forging ahead with other rehabilitative services and programmes apart from the above-mentioned initiatives. A detailed account of the activities in different areas is given in the ensuing sections of this Chapter.
In addition to direct rehabilitative services, soliciting community acceptance of rehabilitated offenders continues to be an important strategy to facilitate their reintegration as well as to sustain an inclusive and safe society. This is done through public education, publicity activities and involving the public in our offender rehabilitation work. Since 1999, we have spared no efforts in organising public education and publicity activities with the aim to increase public's understanding of rehabilitation of offenders and appeal for their support in this connection. We have also established a CSD Rehabilitation Volunteer Group and developed close rapport with community organisations which are keen to take forward collaboration projects with us. We are sincerely grateful for their contributions and support.
The Rehabilitation Division will progress to its 10th year of operation in 2007. I take pride in leading a team of dedicated staff whose commitment and incessant efforts have contributed to the continuous improvement of rehabilitative services and effectively enlisted growing awareness and support of the community towards the rehabilitation of offenders. Certainly there is no room for complacency, and we are all geared up for the challenges in an evolving environment.
YAU Chi-chiu
Assistant Commissioner (Rehabilitation) |
Pre-sentence Assessment Services
Pre-sentence assessment is our first intervention in the rehabilitation of an offender as such assessment, including interviewing the offender, compiling a report on him, and finally advising the court as to his suitability for one of our rehabilitative programmes, is done before the offender is sentenced and treatment actually starts. We believe that by giving an offender the most appropriate treatment measure at the outset, it will help maximise his chance of rehabilitation and also save social resources in the long run. During the year, 15 assessment staff handled a total of 4 633 cases. |
Young Offender Assessment Panel
The Young Offender Assessment Panel has been formed to assist courts in the sentencing of young male offenders aged 14 to 24 and young female offenders aged 14 to 20. This administrative body is composed of professionals from the Correctional Services Department and the Social Welfare Department. It interviews all the young offenders referred by the court, forms a coordinated view, and makes a recommendation as to the most appropriate treatment programme for the case. In 2006, the Panel handled 194 referrals, of which 82 % of its recommendations were accepted. |
Programme Services
We render welfare and programme services to an offender right from his admission to a correctional institution, when he will be facing his most difficult time during custody. The main objective of our service is to cater for offenders' welfare needs, help them deal with their adjustment problems, and assist in running various rehabilitation programmes to meet the rehabilitative needs of prisoners. Towards the end of their term, we will prepare them for their release by providing them with information on employment assistance and referring them to appropriate non-governmental organisations for other community support and resources. In 2006, we conducted 119 282 individual counselling sessions, 891 group counselling sessions, and 2 113 pre-release courses in the process. |
Psychological Services
A team of clinical psychologists and departmental officers trained in psychological work help inmates and prisoners change their offending behaviour and promote their psychological well-being. In 2006, 25 455 counselling sessions were conducted for this purpose. At the same time, 498 assessment reports were prepared for courts and related review boards to facilitate decisions on the rehabilitation of offenders.
We also continued our efforts in developing on-going programmes targeting offending behaviours. These included the Offending Behaviour Programme and Inmate-Parent Programme for young offenders, Violence Prevention Programme for adult offenders, Substance Abuse Awareness and Recidivism Prevention Programme for adult offenders with a history of chronic substance abuse and the Sex Offender Evaluation and Treatment Unit for sex offenders.
To pave the way for an empirically based offender management and rehabilitation system, the Department introduced during the year a "Risks and Needs Assessment and Management Protocol for Offenders" for evaluating the offender custodial and re-offending risk as well as rehabilitative needs. Specialised clinical measures for assessing the re-offending risks and rehabilitative needs for violent offenders, sex offenders and young offenders were also completed. |
Education
The Education Unit provides half-day compulsory education programmes for young offenders under the age of 2l and guidance to adult offenders who participate in educational studies on a voluntary basis. Besides general subjects, practical courses such as computer-related and commercial subjects are also taught by qualified teachers.
To enhance language and computer education for both young and adult inmates, we have upgraded the existing facilities and added new equipment for IT learning. We have set up computer rooms and multi-media learning centres in all young offender institutions and in some adult offender institutions. Conversion works for the renewal of the Computer Room in Lai King Training Centre began in November 2006 for completion in February 2007. Replacement of computers and accessories for the computer rooms in Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution, Pik Uk Correctional Institution and Cat. A Complex of Stanley Prison will be completed in February 2007. Additional computer facilities were provided to other adult offenders institutions such as Lai Sun Correctional Institution, Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institution, Ma Po Ping Prison, Tong Fuk Centre, Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre, Hei Ling Chau Correctional Institution and Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre. As at 31 December 2006, there are altogether 519 sets of computers in correctional institutions for inmates' learning. Additional funds were also provided for procuring more library books for Lai Chi Kok Correctional Institution, Ma Po Ping Prison, Tong Fuk Centre, Stanley Prison, Shek Pik Prison and Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution.
In 2006, inmates and prisoners attempted a total of 1 091 public examination papers and the overall passing rate was 66.54%. The examination results are shown in Appendix 8. As at 31 December 2006, 78 prisoners enrolled in distance learning courses of degree, diploma or certificate levels run by the Open University of Hong Kong and other tertiary education organisations. Needy prisoners may apply for financial assistance for various educational pursuits from the Prisoners' Education Trust Fund and the Jockey Club Inmates' Education Subsidy Scheme. During the year, the total financial assistance provided by these two avenues amounted to $665,356.
To encourage adult offenders to pursue studies voluntarily after work, we deploy voluntary tutors to run various educational classes and interests groups for them. In 2006, a total of 160 classes were run by volunteers of the CSD Rehabilitation Volunteer Group for 1 603 adult offenders. Furthermore, to arouse inmates' interest in tertiary education, we continued to take forward a project to encourage continuing education for offenders by organising two programmes in Shek Pik Prison. These included a programme entitled "A Taste of University" which comprised 10 lectures on different subjects delivered by university lecturers to 108 offenders, and a reading programme named "Project Rainbow Reading Award Scheme" which aimed to raise prisoners' educational and intellectual standards. The latter programme is still ongoing with 110 prisoners participating. We also cooperated with the Open University of Hong Kong to provide learning support for inmate students through counselling and visits by voluntary staff and tutors of the University. |
Vocational Training
Young inmates under the age of 2l receive half-day compulsory technical or commercial training to facilitate their smooth reintegration into society after discharge. Vocational courses keeping pace with developments of the community are conducted to help inmates obtain vocational qualifications of the City and Guilds or to prepare them for trade tests conducted by the Construction Industry Training Authority. There are also courses preparing inmates to obtain exemption for related subjects when studying in vocational training institutes after discharge.
Adult prisoners are engaged in industrial production and trained to acquire the necessary skills. Where appropriate, we will help them obtain skill accreditation by enrolling them in relevant Intermediate Trade Tests conducted by the Construction Industry Training Authority and the Vocational Training Council. In 2006, with the previous experience of providing full-time training programme to a limited number of adult prisoners at Lai Sun Correctional Institution (LSCI), CSD has established and operated a pre-release vocational training centre on a trial basis at LSCI since July 2006 to provide full-time market-oriented training for male adult prisoners. As at 31 December 2006, 105 prisoners were engaged in full-time vocational training at the centre. After all, through redeployment of internal resources or public donations, we also ran eight vocational training courses for 312 adult prisoners in other institutions to prepare them for employment after release.
During the year, inmates and prisoners attempted 788 public examination papers and trade tests, and the overall passing rate was 98%. Details of the vocational qualifications examinations results are shown in Appendix 9.
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| Offenders in Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution receive food and beverage training. |
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| Beauty course offered in recent years is tailor-made for female offenders. |
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Supervision Services
The Department provides, through its supervision staff, statutory supervision for young prisoners, persons released from detention, rehabilitation, training and drug addiction treatment centres, and prisoners released under various supervision schemes. The service is an integral part of the correctional and rehabilitation programmes to assist offenders in re-integrating into society and leading a decent and law-abiding life upon release.
In the interests of an effective supervision, supervision staff strive to foster mutual trust with inmates and their families/significant others while the inmates are under custody. They also give inmates appropriate support and guidance to help them adapt to the institutional programme and make them aware of their inadequacies and the difficulties ahead.
Following the automation of the Rehabilitation Programme Management System, supervision staff have been assessing the re-offending risks and rehabilitative needs of all inmates and local young prisoners since August 2005, and conducting regular reviews on rehabilitative needs of each inmate and young prisoner. Starting from January 2007, supervision staff will implement structured social reintegration programmes focusing on employment guidance needs, family/marital needs, associates/social functioning needs and community functioning needs, for target offenders in inmate centres with moderate to high risks and needs.
Through regular contacts and visits, supervision staff will guide and assist inmates discharged under supervision for integration. On the other hand, a breach of the supervision conditions may result in the supervisee being recalled back to an institution for further training. In 2006,
1 028 recall orders were issued. |
Supervision Schemes for Prisoners
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| The electrical fitting and installation course is designed to help inmates find quality employment after release. |
Under the Release Under Supervision Scheme and the Pre-release Employment Scheme, successful applicants may be discharged directly from prison for statutory supervision before the end of their imprisonment or released to live in a hostel where they are provided with supervision services and permitted to go out to work in day time. Both schemes are aimed at giving an opportunity for suitable, eligible and motivated prisoners to serve their sentences in an open environment with supervision. Prisoners breaching the supervision requirements may be subject to re-imprisonment for the remainder of their sentences.
The Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Scheme provides statutory supervision for certain categories of adult prisoners to facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Prisoners breaching the supervision conditions may be recalled to serve the balance of their unexpired supervision period.
Under the Conditional Release Scheme, prisoners with indeterminate sentences may, before the Long-term Prison Sentences Review Board makes recommendations as to whether their indeterminate sentences should be converted to determinate ones, be conditionally released under supervision for a specific period to test their determination and ability to lead a law-abiding life. Prisoners with indeterminate sentences having been converted to determinate ones may also be ordered by the Board to be placed under post-release supervision under the Supervision After Release Scheme.
As at 31 December 2006, a total of 2 748 persons were under active statutory supervision. A breakdown of the caseload and statistics on success rates is in Appendix 10. |
Half-way House Programme
The Half-way House Programme is an extension of the rehabilitative effort sustained in detention centre, training centres, drug addiction treatment centres or prisons. Following release, supervisees in need of a period of transitional adjustment may reside in a half-way house to which they can return at night after work or school. There are three half-way houses run by the Department, namely Phoenix House, Pelican House and Bauhinia House.
The programme seeks to cultivate a sense of self-discipline and positive working habits in a structured and supportive environment. Emphasis is placed on behavioural performance, inter-personal relationship and family support. Individual and group counselling sessions, in-house recreation and outdoor activities and community services are organised to strengthen residents' civic and moral awareness. Leave of absence is generally granted on weekends and public holidays to facilitate social reintegration. In 2006, a total of 234 residents were admitted to the three half-way houses. |
Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)
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The CSD hosts annual seminar for non-governmental organisations.
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In a bid to utilise social resources to help with our rehabilitation work, we have been working closely with NGOs in the provision of services to inmates. During the year, 493 volunteers from 64 NGOs were actively involved in a variety of services ranging from the provision of counselling services and religious sacraments, to the organisation of cultural ventures and recreational projects in correctional institutions. In particular, we organised the "Thanksgiving Card Design Competition" jointly with The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong to display the talents of persons under custody and to appeal for public support for our rehabilitation services.
With a view to strengthening cooperation amongst NGOs and providing all NGO partners with an opportunity to exchange views on matters relating to rehabilitation services, we held an 'NGO Forum' with NGO representatives again in September 2006. Besides, a web-based messaging platform, the "NGO Platform" (http://ngoplatform.csd.gov.hk), has been set up to provide users with an interactive site to post up topics for open discussion. |
Reaching out to the Community
Community acceptance and support is of paramount importance to the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into society. Comprising community leaders, employers, education workers, professionals and representatives of non-governmental organisations and government departments, the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders (CCSRO) advises the Commissioner on rehabilitation programmes, and reintegration and publicity strategies. The terms of reference and membership of the Committee are in Appendix 11.
Apart from the CCSRO, the Department continues to cultivate a constructive partnership with community organisations, merchants and trade associations to take forward joint projects for the benefit of offenders and rehabilitated offenders. These organisations include, among others, the Care of Rehabilitated Offenders Association, Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon, Merchants Support for Rehabilitated Offenders Committee, Rotary Club of New Territories, Hong Kong & Macau Taiwanese Charity Fund, Yuen Yuen Institute, International CICA Association of Esthetics and Hong Kong Hair & Beauty Merchants Association. A list of the donations by and/or collaborative projects with these organisations is at Appendix 13. |
Personal Encounter with Prisoners Scheme
The Department runs the Personal Encounter with Prisoners Scheme as part of the community's fight crime campaign. Youths and students visit one of the several designated institutions to meet with reformed prisoners in experience sharing sessions. The purpose is to help prevent delinquency through the deepening of participants' understanding of the untoward consequences of committing a crime. A total of 3 399 young people and students visited the institutions under the Scheme in 2006. |
Green Haven Scheme
The Department started the Green Haven Scheme in January 2001 to promote the anti-drug message and the importance of environmental protection among young people. Participants meet with young inmates of drug addiction treatment centre to gain insight into the detrimental effects of drug abuse. They also take part in a tree planting ceremony to indicate their support for rehabilitated offenders and environmental protection, and vow to stay away from drugs. During this year, 33 visits were arranged for 904 participants. |
CSD Rehabilitation Volunteer Group
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The CSD Rehabilitation Volunteer Group members join training courses to know about the operation of correctional institutions.
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In order to broaden the scope of public involvement, the Department has formed the CSD Rehabilitation Volunteer Group since early 2004. The Group aims to supplement the services of the Department particularly in terms of addressing the reformative, emotional, educational, social and recreational needs of inmates. As at December 2006, it had 216 volunteers who are mostly college students and serving teachers. Apart from conducting interest groups on such topics as languages, computer studies and other cultural pursuits for offenders in various correctional institutions, they also assist in other areas of rehabilitation work, such as public education activities for promoting community acceptance of rehabilitated offenders. |
"Options in Life" Student Forum
To demonstrate the willingness of rehabilitated offenders in making contribution to society, the Department conducted from late 2003 to 2005 a round of district-based student forums in all 18 districts to provide opportunities for secondary students and rehabilitated offenders to interact and discuss on the untoward consequences of crime. In 2006, in line with the Department's community involvement strategy, we invited 12 NGOs to organise similar forums so as to continue this public education initiative of deterring youngsters from committing crimes and abusing drugs. Resource kits for conducting the activity were also distributed via the NGOs to interested schools and youth agencies. |
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