SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 14 15
IMPORTANCE OF PRISON SERVICES STRESSED ******
TO SENTENCE A CRIMINAL TO PRISON FOR A LONG OR SHORT TERM DOES NOT REMOVE THE THREAT HE CAUSES TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY THE WORK OF PRISON OFFICERS DURING THE TIME THE PRISONER IS IN CUSTODY.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS,
MR. DENIS BRAY, WHO DESCRIBED THE TASK AS +A HEAVY BURDEN AND ONE WHICH FEW OF THE PUBLIC CONSIDER AT ALL DEEPLY.+
MR. BRAY WAS SPEAKING AT THE PASSING OUT PARADE OF 102 OFFICERS AND ASSISTANT OFFICERS AT THE PRISONS. DEPARTMENT'S STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY THIS MORNING.
NOTING THAT HONG KONG IS PASSING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD IN RESPECT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. MR. BRAY SAID : +THERE IS ALSO WIDESPREAD CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY AND A VERY GENERAL FEELING THAT CRIMINALS SHOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED.+
+MANY PEOPLE WHO DISCUSS THE PUNISHMENT OF CRIMINALS SEEM TO THINK THAT ONCE A SENTENCE IS PASSED AND THE CRIMINAL IS THROWN INTO PRISON THAT IS THE END OF THE MATTER, HE ADDED.
MR. BRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH MANY HAD CALLED FOR LONGER SENTENCES, FEW HAD REFLECTED THAT EVERY CRIMINAL WHO WAS SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR A FIXED TERM WOULD ONE DAY BE RELEASED FROM PRISON TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY ONCE MORE.
+WHETHER THE SENTENCE IS LONG OR SHORT THE MAN CONVICTED OF A CRIME WILL ONE DAY BE RELEASED, HE SAID.
IN THIS CONTEXT, MR. BRAY EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE PRISON SERVICES WHEN HE TOLD THE RECRUITS: THE WAY HE BEHAVES WHEN HE IS RELEASED WILL BE GREATLY INFLUENCED BY WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM WHEN HE IS IN PRISON.+
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