FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1977
DROP IN PRISON POPULATION ******
FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR SEVERAL YEARS, 1976 SAW NO INCREASE IN PRISON POPULATION, BUT RATHER THE TOTAL POPULATION DECREASED FROM 8,500 TO JUST OVER 8,100, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY,
SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL PARADE OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT IN STANLEY HE SAID THE NUMBER RECEIVING +AFTER CARE+ HAD ALSO DECREASED FROM 3,400 TO 3,200.
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SIR MURRAY CONGRATULATED THE DEPARTMENT ON THE FACT THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON RECORD
THERE WERE NO ESCAPES FROM ANY PRISON LAST YEAR.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ESCAPES FROM OTHER MINIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS DURING THE SAME PERIOD WAS THE LOWEST IN 20 YEARS.
+OBVIOUSLY, GREATER VIGILANCE, IMPROVED SECURITY MEASURES AND THE SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORISATION OF PRISONERS HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPROVED RESULTS, HE SAID.
ON PARADE WERE EIGHT CONTINGENTS COMPRISING ABOUT 150 PRISONS OFFICERS.
AT A SPECIAL CEREMONY AFTER THE INSPECTION OF THE PARADE, THE GOVERNOR PRESENTED COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDALS TO 32 STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD 18 YEARS EXEMPLARY SERVICE.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH :
+AT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION, I SPOKE OF THE NEW BUILDINGS OPENED TO DEAL WITH OVER-CROWDING IN THE PRISONS. WITH THE OPENING LATER THIS YEAR OF LAI CHI KOK RECEPTION CENTRE FOR 960 AND LAI KING TRAINING CENTRE FOR 260, FURTHER PROGRESS WILL HAVE BEEN MADE.
+ IT IS ALSO ENCOURAGING THAT IT IS NOW POSSIBLE FOR ALL YOUNG MALE OFFENDERS AGED UNDER 21 TO SERVE THEIR SENTENCES IN INSTITUTIONS SPECIALLY INTENDED FOR THEIR NEEDS.
+AS A RESULT OF SUCCESS IN REDUCING SERIOUS CRIME, 1976 SAW, FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR SEVERAL YEARS, NO INCREASE IN PRISON POPULATION, BUT RATHER THE TOTAL POPULATION DECREASED FROM 8,500 TO JUST OVER 8,100. THE NUMBER RECEIVING +AFTER CARE+ ALSO DECREASED, FROM 3,400 TO 3,200.
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