SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1978
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NEW PENAL INSTITUTIONS TO REPLACE VICTORIA AND MA HANG PRISONS
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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR. LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY THREE NEW PENAL INSTITUTIONS WILL BE OPENED IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO REPLACE THE VICTORIA AND MA HANG PRISONS WHICH HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR USEFULNESS.
SPEAKING AT THE PASSING-OUT PARADE OF 17 PRISON OFFICERS AND 83 ASSISTANT OFFICERS AT THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT'S STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY, MR. DAVIES SAID THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE THE TRAINING CENTRE AT LAI KING WITH A CAPACITY FOR 260, THE SHEK PIK MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISONS FOR 480 AND AN ANNEX AT STANLEY PRISON FOR 250.
THE LAI KING CENTRE WILL OPEN SHORTLY WHILE THE OTHER TWO NEW PENAL INSTITUTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1980.
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MR. DAVIES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT HAS ACHIEVED ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVE THE SECURE CUSTODY OF OFFENDERS THROUGH STAFF EXPANSION, CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN INSTITUTIONS, DEVELOPMENT OF PRISON INDUSTRIES, AND IMPROVEMENT OF DRUG TREATMENT, AFTER-CARE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DURING RECENT YEARS.
HE SAID THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE EASED THE OVER-CROWDING PROBLEMS AND IMPROVED THE RATIO OF STAFF TO PRISONERS, THEREBY ALLOWING FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS.
+FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THERE IS ROOM TO BREATH AND TO RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN POPULATION WITHOUT IMMEDIATE OVER-CROWDING,+ HE ADDED.
MR. DAVIES ALSO STRESSED THAT WELL ORGANISED AND PRODUCTIVE PRISON INDUSTRIES ARE OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO THE SECONDARY OBJECTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO PREPARE PRISONERS FOR THEIR RETURN TO SOCIETY BY ENCOURAGING RESPECT FOR LAW AND ORDER, AND PROMOTING A HEALTHY WORK HABIT.
POINTING OUT THAT THE AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION IN ALL INSTITUTIONS HAS DROPPED BY 2,000 SINCE 1976, HE SAID THERE HAS BEEN A DECREASE IN DRUG ADDICTION AMONG NEW ADMISSIONS, AND THAT THE NUMBER OF YOUNG OFFENDERS UNDER 21 HAS FALLEN SINCE 1974.
HOWEVER HE WARNED THAT THE BUILD-UP OF LIFE AND LONG SENTENCE PRISONERS WILL POSE PROBLEMS FOR THE STAFF IN CHARGE OF THEM.
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