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THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978
+THIRDLY, AND UNHAPPILY, EVEN WHERE SUCH SCHEMES HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION, THEY HAVE NOT ALWAYS HAD AN OBVIOUS INFLUENCE ON RECIDIVISM,+ HE SAID.
IN SOME COUNTRIES WHERE SUCH A SYSTEM EXISTED NATURAL LEVELS OF LAWLESSNESS HAD REACHED RECORD HEIGHTS, NOT UNNATURALLY THE PUBLIC WAS APPREHENSIVE AND THE EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEM. TO PRISONERS HERE, HUMANE AS IT MIGHT BE, COULD ONLY BE APPROACHED WITH CAUTION.
+PROBABLY, THE NEXT CATEGORY TO BE CONSIDERED SHOULD BE YOUNG OFFENDERS,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.
MR. DAVIES SAID HE AGREED THAT PRISONERS SHOULD BE EMPLOYED MORE PRODUCTIVELY. HE SAID EXPERT ADVICE ON PRISON INDUSTRIES WAS OBTAINED LAST YEAR AND ACTION WAS IN TRAIN TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
+ THE OBJECT IS TO DEVELOP OUTPUT TO THE MAXIMUM COMPATIBLE WITH THE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY PRISONS DISCIPLINE AND ROUTINE.+ THIS WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING STAFF, SOME POSTS HAVING ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
MR. DAVIES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO BE PROCEEDING WITH A PROGRAMME FOR IMPROVED AND ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP FACILITIES.
+ THE IMMEDIATE AIM IS TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL OUTPUT TO ABOUT $26 MILLION AND IN THE LONG TERM TO ABOUT $50 MILLION ANNUALLY,+ HE SAID.
+WE INTEND TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THESE TARGETS IN THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.+
MR. DAVIES TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS PROVISION IN THE 1978/79 ESTIMATES FOR ANOTHER 12 NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING UNITS AND 37 REPORTING CENTRES.
HE SAID FUNDS WERE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TO EXTEND THE BEAT RADIO SYSTEM TO SHA TIN AND CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO FURTHER EXTENSIONS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
MR. DAVIES SAID HE ENVISAGED SOME EXPANSION OF THE CIVIL AID SERVICES STRENGTH IN THE FOLLOWING FINANCIAL YEARS.
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