Hong Kong Correctional Services
Annual Review 2016

 | Administration Section | Accounts Section | Integrated Technology Section | Works and Planning Section | 
 | Public Relations and External Affairs Section | Statistics Section | 

 

The Division is headed by an Administrative Officer Staff Grade C and comprises the following sections: Administration Section, Accounts Section, Integrated Technology Section, Works and Planning Section, Public Relations and External Affairs Section and Statistics Section.

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Administration Section

Departmental Administration Unit provides administrative and logistical support for headquarters and penal institutions, covering resource management, green management, records and building management. It also performs grade management function for some 500 general and workman II grades staff members.  

Personnel Unit handles all personnel matters for about 6 900 staff members, including salary and allowances, leave and passages, housing benefits, employee compensation and termination of service. The Unit is also responsible for maintaining personnel and payroll records in computerised systems. 

Appointments Unit handles recruitment and promotion exercises. About 20 such exercises were conducted in 2016. The number of intakes of civil servants from open recruitment in the year was around 460.

Establishment Sub-unit oversees all establishment matters, including the creation and deletion of posts, temporary redeployment due to operational needs and the provision of secretarial services to the Departmental Establishment Committee.  

Internal Audit Sub-unit inspects financial and stores matters of all institutions to uphold government regulations and procedures.  

Translation Unit is responsible for the core translation services of the Department. It also approves applications of penal institutions for translation and interpretation services in non-official languages and dialects for persons in custody.  

Central Supplies Unit supervises administrative and financial matters relating to procurement, supplies, stores and equipment. Annual total purchases in 2015-16 included the following items:

Institutional goods and equipment: $59.67 million

Clothing for persons in custody: $15.90 million

Staff uniform: $6.69 million 

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Accounts Section

The Accounts Section comprises the Departmental, Management and Industries Accounts Offices which are jointly responsible for all financial and accounting operations, including those pertaining to the Correctional Services Industries.

Expenditure in 2016 was $3 701 million, excluding capital building works. This represents a 0.5% rise in 2015, mainly due to increased expenditure of Civil Service Provident Fund contribution. Revenue collected from various sources during the year amounted to $79 million, including $59 million in rent from staff quarters.

Purchases and recoveries under the Correctional Services Industries Suspense Account were $128 million and $132 million respectively.

 

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Integrated Technology Section

The Integrated Technology Section consists of the e-Operations Office, the e-Administration Office and the Project Team, providing information technology (IT) support for the Department’ s daily operation and implementing the Integrated Custodial and Rehabilitation Management System. Assisted by the Information Technology Management Unit of the Security Bureau, the Section is also responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing various IT projects and e-Government initiatives to enhance operational efficiency of the Department. 

The e-Operations Office is responsible for developing network systems, managing operational IT projects and penal information systems. The e-Administration Office focuses on the management of administrative computer systems and projects, as well as maintenance of departmental internet and intranet websites. 

The Project Team, established in June 2016, is responsible for implementing the Integrated Custodial and Rehabilitation Management System in order to replace core IT systems and enhance the capacity of IT infrastructure for better long-term operational efficiency. Funding approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for $353 million for the project was obtained in May 2016. The Project is planned to be completed within 2022.

Apart from the provision of daily support for IT applications and implementation of the new project, the Section is dedicated to enhancing the Department’ s operational efficiency and optimising IT resources such as studying the feasibility of integrating different technologies. 

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Works and Planning Section

The Works and Planning Section plans for the construction of new correctional institutions and the refurbishment of existing aged facilities in conjunction with Architectural Services Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. Major projects completed in 2016 included the partial redevelopment of Tai Lam Centre for Women. 

Other initiatives included planning of the Correctional Services Department Headquarters Building, the construction of staff quarters for CSD at Tin Wan of Aberdeen, replacement and enhancement of the closed circuit television (CCTV) systems for Stanley Prison, Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution and Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre as well as installation of electric locks security systems in Stanley Prison and the non-redevelopment area of Tai Lam Centre for Women. 

Minor building projects in progress in 2016 included, amongst others, the digital terrestrial television reception works at institutions, setting up a central visit room complex at Hei Ling Chau, and upgrading the digital video recorder systems of the CCTV systems in relevant institutions.  

The Department continued the effort to enhance vocational training facilities for persons in custody and promote the adoption of energy saving lighting devices in various institutions.   

Persons in custody were deployed in minor maintenance works. The arrangement helped them cultivate good working habits during custody and also provided them with opportunities to receive vocational training, thereby assisting their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. 

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Public Relations and External Affairs Section

Public Relations and External Affairs Section is responsible for implementing a proactive external liaison and Public Relations strategy for the Department.

The External Affairs Unit is responsible for coordinating two-way visits and professional exchanges with counterparts of local, Mainland and overseas jurisdictions. This year, the External Affairs Unit continued to arrange visits to correctional facilities for visitors under the Sponsored Visitors Programme operated by the Information Services Department and students of local universities who are studying subjects related to Hong Kong Legal System and correctional services. 

In view of the increasing population of non-local persons in custody, the External Affairs Unit maintains close liaison with the Consulates in the territory to help persons in custody from other nationalities to solve their problems during incarceration. The External Affairs Unit keeps close working relationship with the Consulates by handling their enquiries, arranging sharing sessions and visits to correctional facilities.

The External Affairs Unit coordinates the training of Liaison Officers by arranging protocol training for potential staff. These Liaison Officers provide liaison and reception services to visiting delegations and guests of large scale departmental events.

The Public Relations Unit is responsible for disseminating information about the Department’ s plans, services and activities to the media. It also handles media enquiries, issues press releases, and arranges press briefings and conferences, interviews with correctional officers as well as media visits to institutions.

In 2015, the Department commissioned through the Unit a company to produce a new departmental video “Shared Mission Unrivalled Challenges” on our mission of protecting the public and reducing crime, and our various challenges and work. The video covers the two core areas of secure custody and appropriate rehabilitation programmes, and collaboration with various stakeholders to strengthen community education with a view to promoting the message of leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation. The video won two international awards, including the Award of Merit: Special Mention in Accolade Global Film Competition, USA in 2015, and the Gold Remi Award － Government Relations Category in WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in 2016.  It has been uploaded onto CSD YouTube Channel for public viewing.

The Unit also produces short videos, such as videos featuring two events under the Appreciate Hong Kong Campaign － including CSD’ s booth at the Hong Kong Flower Show 2016 and the Staff Training Institute Open Day named as “Passion, Appreciation, My Hong Kong”, successful rehabilitation stories, the birth of new blood of the Dog Unit and other activities of the Department. All short videos have been uploaded onto CSD YouTube Channel for public viewing to enhance understanding of our work.

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Statistics Section

The Section provides statistical support for the strategic planning, monitoring and review of the Department’s operation and correctional programmes. In addition to the compilation of statistical reports to meet the management need, the Section has made the penal population projections to provide assessments of future operational needs. It also helps monitor drug abuse incidence of persons in custody before admission, self-harm, violent and disciplinary behaviours of persons in custody and recidivism of discharged local persons in custody to help enhance the effectiveness of correctional services and facilitate the policy formulation.

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