Remands are being escorted by correctional officers.
Upon the promulgation of the Hong Kong National Security Law on 30 June 2020, the social turmoil has come an end and Hong Kong has gradually resumed normal and returned to the right track of development. However, the Judiciary has since then processed backlog cases resulted from the suspension of court hearings in full swing amid the on-going epidemic, more and more people who were involved in black-clad violence or violated the Hong Kong National Security Law have been remanded or sentenced, resulting in a rising penal population. The annual number of new admissions (including convicted persons, remands and detainees) increased from 11 967 in 2020 to 15 311 in 2021, representing an increase of 28 per cent. The average daily penal population at correctional facilities also increased by 10 per cent from 6 902 persons in 2020 to 7 616 persons in 2021. The average daily number of remands hit a decade high, from 1 388 in 2012 to 2 316 in 2021, representing an increase of 67 per cent. Keeping a close eye on the situation, the Department planned ahead and deployed resources having regard to the actual operational needs. For example, in mid-2021, some of the male remands were transferred to Tung Tau Correctional Institution in order to ease the overcrowding issue of and pressure on Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre and Stanley Prison.
In 2021, there were a total of 985 admissions to correctional institutions which got involved in offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law and riot-related offences, an increase of 133 per cent from 422 persons in 2020. Some of them are radicals or highly educated people who attempted to use their influence to build up forces against the institutional management, posing threats to institutional order and discipline. To tackle these threats and challenges, the Department has adopted a “pre-emptive” strategy to prevent such issues from brewing and fermenting. In addition to enhancing the intelligence network and monitoring system, persons in custody were assigned to different correctional institutions according to their backgrounds, offences and influence under the established mechanism so as to prevent them from building up forces. If persons in custody are found to have committed acts of indiscipline, challenged institutional management through different means, or even endangered national security, correctional officers will take actions in the first instance and the Regional Response Team (RRT) will then be called in to render support, with a view to maintaining institutional order and discipline. The Department has been guarding the last line of defence and will never allow any correctional institutions to become bases for subversion against China and Hong Kong. In 2021, RRT was deployed to carry out 5 large-scale operations against illicit activities by persons in custody at Tung Tau Correctional Institution, Lo Wu Correctional Institution, Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution (twice) and Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in order to ensure a secure and safe custodial environment.
Besides, some of the above-mentioned persons in custody colluded with outside parties and made collective effort in an organised manner to smear the correctional system and various aspects of prison life. For instance, they urged the CSD to improve the hot environment and air ventilation of correctional institutions, and accused the Department of exploiting the rights of persons in custody to official visits and to receiving handed-in articles in an attempt to alter the penal operations, deter correctional officers from taking actions, undermine the deterrent effect of imprisonment and hence affect the overall stability and safety of Hong Kong. Despite these unfounded accusations and the pressure imposed, correctional officers continued to hold fast to their posts fearlessly, uphold the principles and values, remain determined to carry out the monitoring work in accordance with the law.
The Department also attaches equal importance to the concealment of contraband and underhand deals by persons in custody as it is common for them to establish relationships through sharing of items, leading to the speedy building up of forces within the enclosed environment of institutions, and hence posing threats to institutional discipline and order. The Department made its utmost effort to combat the concealment of contraband last year. As a result, the number of disciplinary charges against persons in custody, which resulted in punishment, for unauthorised possession of articles rose from 1 211 in 2020 to 1 441 in 2021, representing an increase of 19 per cent.
The Department has been actively taking different measures to combat any forms of illicit acts within institutions, and to prevent outside groups from persuading persons in custody to maintain their radical thoughts, spreading to them information endangering national security and building up forces inside correctional institutions against the management through different means. For example, the institutional management is empowered by law to search and read letters sent to or from persons in custody. If it is found that the contents of a letter may pose possible threats to institutional security, or a letter contains messages endangering national security, or a person in custody deliberately tries to send out a letter to give messages or instructions to outsiders, such letters will be withheld according to the law. The Department will remain steadfast in its role as the last element of the criminal justice system and will never allow any institutions to become a base for subversion against China and Hong Kong.
The RRT, Dog Unit and other support teams render support to the management of Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution in combating illicit collective acts by detainees.