WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1979
24
COMPULSORY SUPERVISION FOR YOUNG PERSONS
DISCHARGED FROM PRISON PROPOSED
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AN AMENDMENT TO THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ORDINANCE WILL BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE FOR COMPULSORY SUPERVISION FOR YOUNG PERSONS DISCHARGED FROM PRISON, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REVIEWING LAW AND ORDER IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY SAID THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING AFTERCARE SCHEMES FOR FORMER INMATES OF DETENTION CENTRES, TRAINING CENTRES AND DRUG TREATMENT CENTRES.
HE WAS GLAD THAT DESPITE AN OVERALL POPULATION INCREASE OF 14 PER CENT SINCE 1974, THERE WAS A DECLINE IN INMATE POPULATION FROM 7 000 IN 1974 TO 6 600 IN 1978 AND MORE THAN 6 000 CURRENTLY.
HE ALSO PRAISED THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT FOR PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICE FOR THE INMATES DESPITE ITS ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
SIR MURRAY SAID THE INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF LONG TERM PRISONERS AND HIGH SECURITY PRISONERS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM AND ADDITIONAL SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION WAS BECOMING OF INCREASINGLY HIGH PRIORITY.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE PROGRAMME TO EXPAND PRISON INDUSTRIES IS PROCEEDING SATISFACTORILY. MOST OF THE KEY SPECIALIST STAFF HAVE BEEN APPOINTED, AND THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT WILL BE GIVEN GREATER FREEDOM IN THE PURCHASE OF RAW MATERIALS THUS ENABLING IT TO RESPOND MORE QUICKLY TO ORDERS FROM CLIENT DEPARTMENTS.
ON THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION, SIR MURRAY SAID THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A REVIVAL OF LARGE CORRUPTION SYNDICATES, BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE OF CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OPERATING WITHIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE, THE SCHEDULED BODIES AND IN PRIVATE FIRMS. CONSEQUENTLY, WIDE SPREAD AND INTENSE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE TO BE CONDUCTED.
+THESE ARE GREATLY ASSISTED BY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS BOTH FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM WITHIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ITSELF PREPARED PERSONALLY TO REPORT CORRUPTION TO THE COMMISSION,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
HE WARNED THAT THE GREATEST DANGER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IS COMPLACENCY AND SAID THOUGH WE WERE NOW ON TOP OF CORRUPTION, IT IS STILL ALIVE, STILL DANGEROUS AND ONLY CONSTANT VIGILANCE WILL WEAR DOWN ITS ABILITY TO HARM US.✦
REVIEWING THE FIGHT AGAINST NARCOTICS, SIR MURRAY SAID THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST DRUG ADDICTION CONTINUED.
/+INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION,