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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1976
DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME SUCCESSFUL
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THE NUMBER OF YOUNG OFFENDERS BELOW THE AGE OF 21 HAS DROPPED, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINSTRATION, MR. P.B. WILLIAMS, SAID TODAY,
SPEAKING AT THE PASSING OUT PARADE OF OFFICERS AND ASSISTANT OFFICERS OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT AT STANLEY, HE SAID THE DROP WAS DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME.
+DURING THE 1974-75 THERE WAS A RAPID RISE IN THE PRISON POPULATION, BUT THIS YEAR 1976 IT HAS LEVELLED OUT, HE SAID.
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+THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE DROP IN THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG OFFENDERS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE FROM 23 PER CENT IN JANUARY 1974 TO 13 PER CENT AT THE END OF LAST MONTH.
+1 THINK THIS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO NO LITTLE DEGREE TO THE VERY SUCCESSFUL DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME WHICH HAS SO FAR DEALT WITH OVER 2,000 YOUNG OFFENDERS.
+THESE CENTRES SHOW THE VALUE OF DISCIPLINE AND CLOSE PERSONAL SUPERVISION EXERCISED BY WELL-TRAINED AND COMPETENT OFFICERS,+
HE SAID THE PROGRAMME PROVIDED BY THE CENTRE HAD PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL, IN PARTICULAR, IN DEALING WITH CERTAIN TYPES OF YOUNG OFFENDERS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE PROBABLY HAVE SPENT A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME IN SOME OTHER KIND OF CENTRE.
MR. WILLIAMS TOLD THE RECRUITS THAT IN A SOCIETY LIKE HONG KONG, WHERE MORE THAN FOUR MILLION PEOPLE WERE LIVING SO CLOSELY TOGETHER THE PRESENCE OF A DISCIPLINED SERVICE PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL PART IN THE SECURITY OF THE SOCIETY.
+ THE ACTUAL SERVICE THAT YOU GIVE IN THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT NEEDS NO EMPHASIS OR EXPLANATION, + HE STRESSED.
+BUT OVER AND ABOVE THIS, THE GENERAL INFLUENCE OF YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR WORK IN UNIFORM IS OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE.+ MR. WILLIAMS ADDED.
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