PUBLIC ORDER
Government Laboratory
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The Forensic Division of the Government Laboratory continues to provide a forensic science service to law enforcement authorities, including the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, Customs and Excise Service and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The division is largely engaged in the scientific investigation of crime. The largest specialist unit in the division is concerned with general forensic science where laboratory examination of exhibits from many scenes of crimes are coupled with visits by scientists to the scenes. Forensic blood grouping, questioned document examination and arson investi- gation feature prominently in the work of the division. It is also involved in the examination of narcotics, scheduled poisons, and organs and body fluids in cases where the cause of death is unknown.
The laboratory carries out extensive urinalysis as an essential part of the methadone maintenance and detoxification programmes and a special laboratory caters for the requirements of these programmes which expanded appreciably during the year.
Prisons Department---
The Commissioner of Prisons is responsible for the overall administration of 18 institu- tions, a half-way house and a Staff Training Institute with an establishment of 4 482 uniformed staff and 465 non-uniformed staff. During 1981, detention facilities were also provided for more than 3 500 illegal immigrants in six of the institutions. Excluding illegal immigrants, the average daily penal population was 6 912 compared with 6 499 in 1980 a continuation of the recent upward trend.
Since January 1981 all male offenders under the compulsory drug addiction placement programme for treatment have been housed at Hei Ling Chau Drug Addiction Treatment Centre to allow the former Tai Lam Drug Addiction Treatment Centre to be changed to a minimum security prison - re-named Tai Lam Correctional Institution.
Tong Fuk Centre - previously catering for adults - also changed its role in June 1981 to house young prisoners under the age of 21 to relieve the severe overcrowding in Pik Uk Correctional Institution caused by an increase in the number of young people in custody.
Towards the end of the year inmates from Hei Ling Chau Drug Addiction Treatment Centre assisted in the fight against pollution by collecting refuse from the harbour.
Work has started on extending the facilities at the Staff Training Institute, and the construction of a half-way house pre-release centre in Lung Cheung Road. Construction of the new maximum security prison at Shek Pik and the minimum security Tung Tau Prison continued, as did work on the development projects on Hei Ling Chau.
Adult Male Prisoners
The department operates eight prisons and a psychiatric centre for male adults. The adult prisoner population increased during the year to an average daily population (excluding illegal immigrants) of 4 533. This compares with 4 218 in 1980. While Stanley Prison will continue to operate as the largest maximum security holding centre, the new maximum security prison under construction at Shek Pik on Lantau Island will provide valuable alternative facilities for the dispersal of convicted gang elements and for the increasing number of life and other long-term prisoners
Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre houses all adult males on remand, detainees under the Immigration Ordinance, and newly-convicted prisoners pending classification and alloca- tion to other prisons. Certain appellants are detained at the centre but in order to relieve unacceptable pressure on accommodation, as from May, a number of appellants were