H
香港政府
GIS
新聞處
PRH ↑
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1976
PROBATION SERVICES TO BE STRENGTHENED
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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS EMBARKING ON A SERIES OF MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PLANS TO STRENGTHEN ITS PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS SERVICE.
AMONG PLANS ALREADY UNDERWAY OR IN THE PIPELINE IS A SCHEME TO MOBILISE VOLUNTARY WORKERS TO ASSIST AND BEFRIEND PROBATIONERS, A ROUND-THE-CLOCK +HOT LINE+ SERVICE TO GIVE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO PROBATIONERS IN URGENT NEED THE EXPANSION OF TRAINING FACILITIES IN CORRECTIONAL HOMES, AND THE BUILDING OF A LARGER AND BETTER-EQUIPPED HOME FOR PROBLEM GIRLS.
REVEALING THESE PLANS TODAY, MR. MAK WING-HONG, HEAD OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DIVISION, SAID THAT A PILOT SCHEME ON 'VOLUNTEER SCHEME FOR PROBATIONERS' HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED LAST YEAR.
+ THE SCHEME IS A COMPLEMENTARY SERVICE RENDERED BY SELECTED VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE PERSONAL AND MORAL SUPPORT THROUGH FRIENDSHIP TO PROBATIONERS.+
+WE STARTED OFF WITH 25 VOLUNTEERS EACH BEFRIENDING AND ASSISTING ONE PROBATIONER, HE SAID, AND THE ULTIMATE AIM IS TO EXPAND THE SCHEME TO COVER A WIDER SPECTRUM OF PROBATIONERS.+
HE CONTINUED: +WE ALSO HOPE TO PROVIDE THESE VOLUNTEERS WITH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AS WELL AS A SMALL TRAVELLING ALLOWANCE.
+A YOUNG OFFENDER MAY FEEL MORE AT EASE AND LESS SUSPICIOUS TOWARDS A VOLUNTEER WHO IS NOT ASSIGNED BY THE AUTHORITIES TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIM. HE OFTEN REGARDS THE VOLUNTEER AS HIS FRIEND AND CONFIDES HIS DEEPEST SECRETS TO HIM.
+SOMETIMES A PROBATIONER MAY HAVE SPECIAL INTERESTS OR TALENTS SUCH AS MUSIC OR ART, AND A VOLUNTARY WORKER WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS CAN MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY HELP HIM TO DEVELOP SUCH TALENTS.
+ANOTHER MAJOR ADVANTAGE OF THE SCHEME IS THAT A VOLUNTEER CAN ALWAYS LEAD THE PROBATIONER TO A NEW CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, HELPING HIM TO BREAK AWAY FROM HIS FORMER BAD ASSOCIATES. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TOWARDS INDIRECTLY REDUCING THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM. +
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
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