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Women prisoners are received and housed at Lai Chi Kok Prison, which has an average inmate population of 132. This in- stitution will soon be replaced with a new open prison built on cottage lines in the Tai Lam Chung area.
The open prison system, which has proved to be very successful in Hong Kong, is used whenever possible; experience has shown that an environment in which prisoners lead healthy outdoor lives, doing interesting work of a constructive nature, leads to more successful rehabilitation. Open prisons are situated on Lantau Island in the New Territories and considerable amount of useful work has been done by prisoners on forestry and building projects of various kinds.
Stanley Prison is the largest security establishment in the Colony and houses all prisoners not considered suitable for the treatment centre or other open institutions. It is the main industrial centre where, among other productive industries, tailoring, shoe-making, rattanware and carpentry are concentrated. The value of industrial production at Stanley in 1967 amounted to over two million dollars.
A large percentage of convicted male prisoners are found on admission to be drug dependent. The treatment centre at Tai Lam offers special treatment facilities for drug dependents and, through a unique programme, developed since 1958 when the centre was opened, it has achieved encouraging results. All necessary phases of treatment are followed, including after-care. An extensive pro- gramme of research is also carried out, details of which are published yearly.
Young male offenders between the ages of 14 and 21 are housed under open conditions at three training centres on Hong Kong and Lantau Islands. Remand accommodation for males between 14 and 21 is provided in the Stanley Training Centre; the object of this arrangement is to ensure that unconvicted boys do not enter the environment of a prison during their period of remand.
This year has continued to be one of great activity in preparation for new institutions at Tai Lam (women's prison), Siu Lam (Prisons Department Mental Hospital) and the Dragon's Back (Training Centre).