TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1977
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PUBLIC URGED TO HELP FORMER OFFENDERS
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MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP REDUCE CRIME BY DISCARDING THE IR PREJUDICE AGAINST FORMER LAW OFFENDERS AND ASSISTING THEM TO RE-INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY, SAID MR. MAK WING-HONG, HEAD OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DIVISION.
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LION ROCK'S LIONS CLUB TODAY (TUESDAY), MR. HAK WARNED THAT SUSPICION AND APATHY SHOWN TOWARDS THOSE WHO HAVE ONCE GONE ASTRAY WOULD SET RUNNING A VICIOUS CYCLE AS YOUNG OFFENDERS, LACKING THE CONFIDENCE TO START A NEW LIFE, MIGHT TURN BACK TO DELINQUENCY AGAIN.
+FEELING THAT THEY ARE BEING REJECTED BY THE COMMUNITY, THE OFFENDERS WOULD DEVELOP FURTHER ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, AND ARE LIKELY TO RETURN TO CRIME, HE SAID.
DESCRIBING THIS KIND OF PUBLIC ATTITUDE AS ONE OF THE MAJOR OBSTACLES OF PROBATION OFFICERS IN HELPING PROBATIONERS TO START AFRESH. MR. MAK CALLED UPON THE PUBLIC TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TOWARDS PROBATION WORK.
HE URGED EMPLOYERS TO OFFER MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROBATIONERS AS THERE ARE ADVANTAGES IN EMPLOYING THEM.
+FOR ONE, THEY CAN HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF EMPLOYEES' BACKGROUND WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO STAFF MANAGEMENT- AND WITH THE SUPERVISION OF PROBATION OFFICERS, THESE EMPLOYEES ARE LIKELY TO EXHIBIT BETTER WORK ATTITUDE, HE NOTED.
TURNING TO PROBATION WORK, MR. MAK SAID THE REFORMATION OF OFFENDERS INTO USEFUL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY IS THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF HIS DIVISION.
TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM, PROBATION OFFICERS CONDUCT SOCIAL ENQUIRIES INTO THE CHARACTER AND FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENDERS IN ORDER TO COMPILE REPORTS FOR THE COURTS AND ASSIST THEM IN ARRIVING AT AN APPROPRIATE SENTENCE.
→THEN, THEY SUPERVISE PROBATIONERS FOR PERIODS VARYING FROM ONE TO THREE YEARS. DURING THE PERIOD, THEY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO KEEP THEM AWAY FROM UNDESIRABLE COMPANIONS, TO SECURE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY MEMBERS,+ HE SAID.
MR. MAK ADDED THAT THE FIVE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO VESTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE BASIC EDUCATION AND CRAFT TRAINING. GREAT EMPHASIS IS ALSO PLACED ON CHARACTER BUILDING, SOCIAL TRAINING AND THE CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF LEISURE.
RECALLING THE COMMENCEMENT OF PROBATION SERVICE, MR. MAK SAID THAT WHEN THE PROBATION OF OFFENDERS ORDINANCE
WAS ENACTED IN 1933, THE SERVICE WAS ONLY PROVIDED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHT TO 1€.
+ IT WAS IN 1956 THAT THE GRDINANCE WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE ADULTS. AT PRESENT, THERE IS NO AGE LIMIT FOR A PERSON TO BE PLACED ON PROBATION,+ HE SAID.
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