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PUBLIC ORDER
Young people continued to be an important target. A three-year programme entitled Towards A Fuller Life, which aimed at encouraging young people to lead a balanced and meaningful life, was concluded in December. To promote moral education among students, two sets of teaching aids for senior secondary students and Form 4 students were introduced in 1983, while a programme format for junior secondary students was at the planning stage. Regular contact was maintained with teachers through the major professional organisations and colleges of education to involve them in the fight against corruption.
On the media side, the second phase of a three-year advertising campaign to emphasise the evils of corruption and to depict the consequences for the corrupt was launched. A weekly television series of 13 episodes was also produced to promote personal integrity and social morality. At the end of the year, an hour-long drama series featuring cases investigated by the Operations Department was being produced for screening in 1984. During the year, the media continued to take an active interest in the work of the ICAC.
Government Laboratory
The Government Laboratory provides a comprehensive forensic science service to law enforcement authorities, including the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Service and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
During the year, the laboratory was again heavily involved in the scientific investigation of a wide variety of crimes. The general forensic science unit of the laboratory was concerned with the laboratory examination of exhibits from many scenes of crimes, coupled with visits by scientists to the scenes of crimes. Forensic bloodgrouping, questioned documents examinations and arson investigations featured prominently in this work. Other units were involved in the examination of narcotics, scheduled poisons, and organs and body fluids in cases where the cause of death was unknown. Research continued into the identification of gun discharge residues.
The laboratory traditionally provides analytical and advisory services to protect the revenue. Tobacco products, liquors, denatured spirits, and treated diesel oils are regularly examined by its Dutiable Commodities Section whose staff work in close liaison with the Customs and Excise Service.
Correctional Services
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The Commissioner of Correctional Services is responsible for the overall administration of 23 institutions, two half-way houses, and a staff training institute, with an establishment of 5 787 uniformed and 502 non-uniformed staff.
During 1983, the average daily penal population was 7 894, compared with 7 328 in 1982 and 6912 in 1981. In addition, the department is responsible for running three closed centres housing Vietnamese refugees. The number of refugees detained in these centres was 5 410 by the end of 1983.
Among the development projects completed by the department during the year was the extension of the Staff Training Institute, officially opened in June. A new half-way house, Phoenix House, with accommodation for 100 males and 20 females, began operation in July. In November, Lai Sun Correctional Institution, a medium security prison for 240 young offenders on Hei Ling Chau, was also put into operation. Construction of a new maximum security prison at Shek Pik on Lantau Island was nearing completion towards the end of the year. In addition, Chi Ma Wan upper camp, which had been used