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discharged from training centres, 61 per cent of the male offenders and 93 per cent of the female offenders completed the three-year supervision without reconviction.
An effective detention centre programme is carried out at the Sha Tsui Detention Centre for young male offenders aged between 14 and 20 years, and young adults aged between 21 and 24. It emphasises strict discipline, strenuous training, hard work and a vigorous routine. After release, detainees are subject to a statutory supervision period of one year. During 1998, 258 young offenders completed the supervision and 244 were not reconvicted during the period - a success rate of 95 per cent.
Young male offenders identified as having special needs are, on discharge from a training centre or the detention centre, housed at a half-way house for up to three months before they are permitted to live at home or in other places while they continue to receive after-care supervision. Group counselling sessions and other activities are conducted to help their re-integration into society.
Female Offenders
Adult females serve their sentences at the Tai Lam Centre for Women, which also caters for remand prisoners. Most of these inmates are assigned to work in an industrial laundry, which provides services to government departments and public hospitals. Young females serve their sentences at the Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution, which accommodates remand prisoners, training centre inmates and young prisoners. The medium security Chi Ma Wan Correctional Institution accommodates adult female prisoners.
A halfway house is provided for adult and young female prisoners released under supervision from the training centre or under the Pre-release Employment Scheme. Residents go to work or attend full-time school during the day and return in the evening.
Drug Addiction Treatment
Drug addicts found guilty of an offence punishable by imprisonment may be sentenced to a drug addiction treatment centre. They can be detained for two to 12 months, depending on their progress. In-centre treatment is followed by 12 months of statutory after-care supervision.
The drug addiction treatment programme aims to detoxify, restore physical health and, through the application of therapeutic and rehabilitative treatment, wean addicts from their dependence on drugs. Assistance is also given to drug addiction treatment centre inmates with post-release employment and accommodation problems. Temporary accommodation is available at halfway houses for those in need of such support immediately after release.
Young Offender Assessment Panel
The Young Offender Assessment Panel, comprising staff from CSD and the Social Welfare Department, was established in 1987 to provide magistrates with recommendations on the most appropriate programmes of rehabilitation for young male offenders between the ages of 14 and 25 and females aged 14 to 20. The service provided by the panel has been available to all courts since December 1997.