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Wednesday, April 7, 1976
To remedy this deficiency, he said, the Police were at present
investigating the feasibility of a study of recidivism, which would include
the relationship between drug addiction and crime.
"Ia aduition a Working Party chaired by the Commissioner for Narcotics
is finalising its report on the treatment of minor drug offenders, after
studying what alternatives may be available for dealing with them other than
by imprisonment. The report should be available for study by the Government
within the next few months," he said.
Turning to triad activities in prisons, Mr. Davies said the majority
of offenders not only in prisons but also in other penal institutions had had
triad affiliations of varying degrees.
Despite this situation, he said, every effort was made to minimise
triad activity in institutions.
He described as exaggerated a suggestion that "triad members exercise
a second level of command".
On measures to curb nacotics activities in prisons, Mr. Davies said
the Prisons Department had three laboratories for urine testing and in all
institutions random samples were constantly being taken for checking-
He added that this task was tackled with vigour and determination.
In January, he said, more than 50 per cent of the prison population
in Stanley were sampled and again in February, and special searching units
were constantly conducting random searches in the Prison and especially in the
cells.
This, coupled with the spot checks involving urine testing, has
greatly reduced the problem, Mr. Davies said.
/On prison
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