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SOCIAL WELFARE
The Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme provides immediate financial assistance on a non-means-tested basis to traffic accident victims or their dependants in case of death, regardless of who was at fault in causing the accident. The scheme covers only traffic accidents as defined under the Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) Ordinance. To be eligible, a person must report the accident to the police and have his application lodged within six months of the date of the accident. In case of injury not causing death, evidence of at least three days' loss of earnings or earning capacity must be shown. Damage to property is not covered. The scheme does not affect an applicant's right to make other claims for legal damages. Beneficiaries who subsequently receive damages or other compensation in respect of the same accident are, however, required to refund the payments they have received from the scheme or the amount of damages or compensation, whichever is the less. During the year, 5 670 applications were received, and 5 233 were approved for assistance payments amounting to $34.2 million.
Emergency relief is provided to victims of natural or other disasters in the form of immediate material aid such as hot meals, eating utensils, blankets and other essentials. In addition, grants from the Emergency Relief Fund are also made to victims of such disasters. During the year, emergency relief was given to 5 045 registered victims on 201 occasions.
To prevent abuse of the various schemes, a special team conducts in-depth investigation in cases of suspected fraud or over-payment. During the year, the team completed investigation of 253 cases, some of which were subsequently referred to the Attorney General for legal advice and possible prosecution.
The Social Security Appeal Board is an independent body which considers appeals from individuals against decisions by the Social Welfare Department concerning public assist- ance, special needs allowances and traffic accident victims assistance payments. It heard a total of 110 appeals during the year. Of these, 10 related to public assistance, 99 to special needs allowances, and one to traffic accident victims assistance.
Services for Offenders
The Social Welfare Department has several statutory duties in the field of services for offenders. These duties have the objective of giving effect to the directions of the courts on the treatment of offenders through social work methods. The overall aim is to reintegrate offenders into the community through probation supervision, remand home service, residential training for young offenders and after-care services.
Probation applies to offenders of all age groups. It allows offenders to remain in the community under the supervision of probation officers and subject to prescribed rules set by the courts. Volunteers from many walks of life participate in the programme under a special scheme which enhances the community involvement in the rehabilitation of offenders.
Under the Community Service Order Ordinance enacted in November 1984, the courts may in future order offenders aged over 14 years, who are convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment, to perform unpaid work of benefit to the community in place of, or in addition to, another sentence. Offenders subject to a Community Service Order will be supervised by probation officers of the Social Welfare Department. In order to ensure that the scheme is developed in a way most appropriate to the situation in Hong Kong, the Social Welfare Department has been studying the operation of similar schemes overseas as a preliminary step before establishing a pilot scheme.
Educational, prevocational, social and recreational training is provided in remand homes and residential institutions to assist juvenile offenders to return to the community as
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