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transferred to Victoria Prison. Debtors are new housed in the Tai Lam Correctional Institution.
There are two medium security prisons; Victoria in Central District and Ma Po Ping on Lantau Island. Victoria Prison serves a dual function of housing adult prisoners (including a number of appellants) with sentences of less than ten years, as well as illegal immigrants.
Minimum security prisons are located at Ma Hang, Pik Uk, Chi Ma Wan and Tai Lam. Chi Ma Wan resumed its normal function of accommodating adult prisoners during the year, although part of the facilities continued to house illegal immigrants.
Prisoners at Ma Hang, Chi Ma Wan and Tai Lam are mainly employed on outside work while those at Pik Uk constitute mainly the work force of the new laundry. Ma Hang and Ma Po Ping have geriatric units for prisoners who are considered clinically to be too old to participate fully in ordinary activities.
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Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre is a maximum security prison providing psychiatric treat- ment for the criminally insane and convicted prisoners of a dangerous and violent nature. Inmates of other institutions requiring psychiatric treatment, and those for whom the courts require assessment, are also accommodated there but are detained separately. The centre remains overcrowded and work continues on the planning of an extension to the present facilities.
Young Male Offenders
The department operates three different correctional programmes (excluding drug addic- tion treatment) and administers six institutions for young offenders. During the year, the number of young people in custody increased to an average daily population of 1 144, compared with 929 the previous year. It was therefore necessary in mid-year to change the role of Tong Fuk Centre, previously an institution for adults, to accommodate young prisoners with relatively short sentences and lower security rating.
Pik Uk Correctional Institution operates as a multi-functional maximum security institution with facilities for a reception centre, a training centre and a prison for young offenders. Also detained for short periods were young people under 25 convicted by the courts but referred to the department for pre-sentence reports on their suitability for admission to a detention centre.
Cape Collinson Correctional Institution caters for those aged between 18 and 21, although part of the institution was again used to house illegal immigrants during the year. Lai King Training Centre mainly accommodates young people remanded for pre- sentence reports on their suitability for admission to a training centre; young prisoners under 21 remanded for trial on minor offences; and training centre inmates aged 14 to 17.
Sha Tsui Detention Centre is a medium security institution with two sections, one for young offenders under 21 and the other for those aged 21 to 24. Nei Kwu Chau Detention Centre on the island of Hei Ling Chau caters for young male offenders mainly in the 14 to 16 age group.
Female Offenders
The Prisons Department operates two institutions for females. The first, Tai Lam Centre for Women, operates as a prison for adult women and also houses a drug addiction treatment centre section. The Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution for young female offenders is divided into two sections: a training centre and a prison for young females under the age of 21, and for female illegal immigrant detainees under the age of 21.