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THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1980
HK'S +SHORT SHARP SHOCK+ PROGRAMME PRAISED AGAIN
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THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO THE RATE OF IMPRISONMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, MR OLIVER DIXON, AND A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, MR RALPH WILSON, ARE MAKING A SPECIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG TO STUDY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT'S +SHORT SHARP SHOCK+ DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS.
AFTER A VISIT TO THE SHA TSUI DETENTION CENTRE TODAY, THEY HAD HIGH PRAISE FOR THE PROGRAMME WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS +ENORMOUSLY IMPRESSIVE, A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT AND ONE FROM WHICH WE COULD ALL LEARN.+
ACCORDING TO MR DIXON, THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY WAS APPOINTED BY HIS GOVERNMENT TO LOOK INTO ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. MR WILSON IS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IN THE COUNTRY.
THEIR VISIT TO SHA TSUI WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MR GARTH HYDES, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, AND MR I.K. BHAGAT, SENIOR SUPER INTENDENT (YOUNG OFFENDERS). THEY TOURED THE CENTRE AND WERE BRIEFED ON THE VARIOUS FACILITIES AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES PROVIDED.
EARLIER IN THE DAY, THEY MET AND HAD TALKS WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR THOMAS GARNER.
THE SUCCESS RATE FOR ALL YOUNG OFFENDERS AT THE DETENTION CENTRE AT THE END OF ONE YEAR AFTER RELEASE IS NOW OVER 96 PER CENT. AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, THE RATE REMAINS HIGH AT 77 PER CENT FOR THOSE AGED UNDER 21.
THE THREE-YEAR SUCCESS RATE FOR YOUNG ADULTS AGED BETWEEN 21 AND 25 HAS YET TO BE ASSESSED AS THE FIRST DETAINEE WAS ONLY RELEASED IN MARCH 1978.
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