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Wednesday, January 16, 1974
As a prison officer of wide experience, she does not believe however
that a prison should make life unpleasant for offenders.
"They are imprisoned
not in order to receive more punishment but to be guided and taught to
respect the principles that guide an orderly society so that they can become
useful members to the community.
"Being deprived of freedom in a prison is in itself punishment.
We must remember that the individuals kept here are people also, only they
have special problems," she said.
Separation from society and the family, Miss Haughton went on,
could be very difficult
particularly with women. "Usually other alternativos
are considered before a woman is sent to prison, and those who are admitted
are usually difficult cases.
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In Tai Lam Centre, offenders were not completely removed from society,
she said, because their families were encouraged to visit them and there were facilities for young children to stay with their mothers serving time.
And after an inmate left the centre, after-care officers continued to help
her re-adjust to normal life.
In carrying out her responsibilities, Miss Haughton will be following
three different sets of rules as the Tai Lam Centre is in fact a training
centro, a drug addiction treatment centre, and a prison and remand centre
all in one,
While most