The very great efforts expended on detective work were rewarded in a rise in the detection rate from 44.72% to 54.78% the highest since 1945.
PRISONS
There are three prisons in the Colony, of which the largest is at Stanley. Situated on a rocky promontory on the south side of Hong Kong Island, the prison is some ten miles from the city of Victoria. So well planned are the buildings that there is none of the dingy and depressing atmosphere usually associated with prisons; but unfortunately for a modern penal administration it was considered at the time that Stanley Prison was built that it could house all classes of offenders regardless of age, penal history or degree of criminality. The result has been constant overcrowding and extreme difficulty in classification and segregation. The prisoners have now been divided into four main classes-long-term and short-term first offenders and any other prisoners who it is considered should be given special training, and long-term and short-term recidivists or any other prisoners who are not to be included in the first categories. Segregation, though not by any means complete, is the aim for the two main classes.
The policy of providing industrial work for long-term prisoners and manual work on reclamation or similar projects for short-term prisoners has been followed successfully. Every prisoner physically able to work now has a job to do. Output from the workshops has increased remarkably. An educational programme for prisoners has been started on a small scale, and will be developed as teaching staff becomes
available.
It is difficult to progress with further classification and education in Stanley until some alternative accommodation is found for prisoners sentenced to terms of less than one year. During the year a scheme for a camp in the New Territories for short-sentence prisoners was considered by the Government but unfortunately had to be laid aside for financial reasons.
The
Victoria Prison is the original gaol of the Colony.
It is likely to remain in use for many years as a remand prison, if only because of its central position close to the Hong Kong Magistracy. subterranean parts have long been closed, and other buildings which were unsafe have been demolished. The remaining part is just adequate for the large numbers passing through, but there is a great need for remand homes for the younger age groups. The Government was actively considering this problem at the end of the year.
Lai Chi Kok women's prison is on the mainland and is thus somewhat isolated from the rest of the department. It houses all
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