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THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1981
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ALL PRISONERS ARE TREATED EQUALLY
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PRISONERS OF ALL NATIONALITIES ARE TREATED EQUALLY INSIDE PRISONS, THE ACTING DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR GARTH HYDES SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCH MEETING OF ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON, MR HYDES SAID A CERTAIN SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY HAS RECENTLY BEEN RATHER VOCAL IN CRITICISING THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH FOREIGN PRISONERS ARE HELD AND THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG DOES NOT INTEND TO PROVIDE SPECIAL AND LUXURIOUS FACILITIES FOR ITS EXPATRIATE COMMUNITY WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN PRISON.
HE SAID: +FRIENDS OR FAMILIES OF THESE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO PRISON ARE OFTEN CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MIX WITH THIEVES, BLACKMAILERS AND OTHER CRIMINALS. HOWEVER, THEY FORGET THAT ONCE THEIR FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN SENTENCED BY A COURT, THEY BECOME A CRIMINAL THEMSELVES AND ARE IN NO WAY SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER PRISONERS WITH WHOM THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SHARE FACILITIES IN AN INSTITUTION.+
+ IF ONE DOES NOT WISH TO BE DETAINED IN A HONG KONG PRISON, THEN ONE SHOULD NOT COMMIT A CRIME IN HONG KONG, HE REMARKED.
MR HYDES ALSO REFUTED ALLEGATIONS THAT PRISONS WERE DENS OF INEQUITY RUN BY TRIAD GANGS AND THAT PERSONS ADMITTED TO PRISON WERE RELEASED EVEN MORE CORRUPTED AND DEPRAVED, HAVING BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO COMMIT CRIMES BY FELLOW PRISONERS.
+THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH, HE SAID. +WHILST MANY PRISONERS CLAIM TO HAVE TRIAD OR GANG AFFILIATIONS ON ADMISSION TO PRISON, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE IS NO TRIAD ACTIVITY IN THE
INSTITUTIONS.+
HE SAID THE STAFF ARE WELL AWARE OF THE EVER PRESENT POSSIBILITY OF SUCH ACTIVITY AND ANY PERSON WHO TRIES TO INFLUENCE OTHERS IS IMMEDIATELY SEGREGATED AND MAINTAINED IN THAT SITUATION UNTIL THE AUTHORITIES ARE SATISFIED THAT HE WILL NOT TRY TO EXERT INFLUENCE OVER OTHER PRISONERS.
KNOWN TRIAD OFFICE-BEARERS ON ADMISSION TO AN INSTITUTION ARE SEGREGATED FOR THE GOOD OF THE REST OF THE PRISON COMMUNITY UNTIL THEY PROVE NOT TO BE A PROBLEM, AND, THERE IS NO DANGER OF THEM INFLUENCING OTHERS, HE ADDED.
TO FURTHER COUNTER THE MISBELIEF. MR HYDES REVEALED STATISTICS SHOWING MANY PERSONS WHO ENTER THE PRISON SYSTEM IN HONG KONG DO NOT COMMIT FURTHER CRIMES.
/FOR INSTANCE ......