PUBLIC ORDER
258
Education and Vocational Training
Offenders under the age of 21 attend educational and vocational training classes conducted by qualified teachers. Textbooks compiled by the department are used to provide inmates with more suitable and practical learning material matching their maturity in personality growth and development.
Adult offenders attend evening classes on a voluntary basis run by part-time teachers from the Adult Education Section of the Education Department. Self-study packages and external correspondence courses are also available for those interested.
Both young and adult offenders are encouraged to take part in public examinations organised by the City and Guilds of London Institute, Pitman Examinations Institute, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Hong Kong Examinations Authority. Inmates also sit for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education examinations as school candidates.
Medical Services
All institutions have their own medical units providing basic treatment, health and dental care, including radiodiagnostic and pathological examinations as well as prophylactic inoculations. Inmates requiring specialist treatment are either referred to a visiting con- sultant or transferred to public hospitals.
Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre and the psychiatric observation unit at Lai Chi Kok - Reception Centre treat prisoners with mental health problems and offer psychiatric
consultations and assessments for inmates referred by other institutions and the courts.
Ante-natal and post-natal care is provided within institutions for female inmates but babies are normally delivered in public hospitals.
Psychological Services
Psychologists and specially-trained officers provide a wide range of counselling services for prisoners and inmates with emotional difficulties, behavioural or personality problems. In-depth reports are prepared on request to assist the courts in their sentencing and the department in assessing an offender's suitability for particular programmes. Research projects are undertaken to improve treatment programmes and reduce recidivism.
Visiting Justices
Justices of the Peace appointed by the Governor visit penal institutions and the centres for Vietnamese boat people, either fortnightly or monthly, depending on the type of institution. They investigate complaints, inspect diets and report on living and working conditions. They may also advise the Commissioner of Correctional Services on the employment of prisoners and work opportunities after release.
After-care Services
After-care plays an important role in inmates' re-integration into the community after release and helps them to lead industrious and law-abiding lives. This service is currently available to inmates from training, detention and drug addiction treatment centres, young prisoners, and adult prisoners released under the Release Under Supervision and Pre- release Employment Schemes.
After-care begins immediately following admission into an institution. Each inmate is interviewed by an after-care officer who then proceeds to establish a sound relationship with the inmate and his family.