Early History

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Year	Event
1841	Apr 30	Captain William Caine was appointed as the first Chief Magistrate and also to take charge of the Police and the Gaol
	Aug 9	The first prison in Hong Kong was instituted
1853	Sept 20	The first legislation concerning the Hong Kong prison was enacted
1876		Penal diet (bread and water for European prisoners and rice and water for Chinese prisoners) was introduced as a form of punishment
1894	Apr 5	The last executions in public view were carried out within the gaol
1920	Dec	The then Prisons Department was separated from the Police Department and led by Superintendent of Prisons
1932	Apr 19	A new female Prison at Lai Chi Kok was opened
1937	Jan	The Hong Kong Prison at Stanley (now known as Stanley Prison) came into operation
1938		Probation services came under the administration of Prisons Department
1946	Dec	The first "open" delinquent institution was set up - a temporary reformatory institution to receive boys from 8 to 16 years of age
1948	Apr 1	Probation services were transferred to the Social Welfare Office established under the Secretary for Chinese Affairs in 1947 (and subsequently to the Social Welfare Department in 1958)

Year

Event

1841

Apr 30

Captain William Caine was appointed as the first Chief Magistrate and also to take charge of the Police and the Gaol

Aug 9

The first prison in Hong Kong was instituted

1853

Sept 20

The first legislation concerning the Hong Kong prison was enacted

1876

Penal diet (bread and water for European prisoners and rice and water for Chinese prisoners) was introduced as a form of punishment

1894

Apr 5

The last executions in public view were carried out within the gaol

1920

Dec

The then Prisons Department was separated from the Police Department and led by Superintendent of Prisons

1932

Apr 19

A new female Prison at Lai Chi Kok was opened

1937

Jan

The Hong Kong Prison at Stanley (now known as Stanley Prison) came into operation

1938

Probation services came under the administration of Prisons Department

1946

Dec

The first "open" delinquent institution was set up - a temporary reformatory institution to receive boys from 8 to 16 years of age

1948

Apr 1

Probation services were transferred to the Social Welfare Office established under the Secretary for Chinese Affairs in 1947 (and subsequently to the Social Welfare Department in 1958)