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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1983
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DESCRIBED AS +WORLD LEADER+
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HONG KONG'S CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARE ASSUMING WORLD LEADERSHIP IN BALANCING ORDER, HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL CONTROL.
THIS COMMENT WAS MADE TODAY (TUESDAY) BY A NOTED CRIMINOLOGIST, MR BILL CLIFFORD WHO HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO DAYS VISITING
ENTRES AND INSTITUTIONS OPERATED BY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
MR CLIFFORD, WHO IS IN HONG KONG TO ATTEND THE SEVENTH COMMONWEALTH LAW CONFERENCE, IS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY AND THE UNITED NATIONS CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMMES.
CURRENTLY, HE IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS FOUNDED IN 1980.
MR CLIFFORD HAS INSPECTED OVER 2 000 CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
+THERE ARE FEW, IF ANY, COMPARABLE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
+HONG KONG HAS A CONSISTENT RECORD OF FIRM DISCIPLINE, PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRY AND GOOD ORDER MAINTAINED IN DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS, RANGING FROM THOSE FOR THE CUSTODY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THE REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS TO PRISONS A SPECIAL PSYCHIATRIC UNIT AND INSTITUTIONS FOR JUVENILES,+ MR CLIFFORD SAID.
+NOR ARE THERE MANY SERVICES IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITH THE SAME SUCCESS RECORDS THAT HONG KONG HAS IN PREVENTING RECIDIVISM, + HE SAID.
HE FOUND THE 90 PER CENT SUCCESS RATE FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS RELEASED FROM SOME INSTITUTIONS HERE TO BE UNUSUALLY HIGH.
+ALSO THE SUCCESS RATE FOR DRUG REHABILITATION WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN THE RATES IN VARIOUS OTHER COUNTRIES, HE ADDED.
+IN HONG KONG, CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF RESPECT FROM THE COMMUNITY RARELY FOUND IN OTHER COUNTRIES,+ HE SAID.
+IN AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES, PRISON OFFICERS SOMETIMES HIDE THE FACT THAT THEY WORK IN PRISONS.
+PRISONERS OFTEN DENOUNCE PRISON OFFICERS IN THE PRESS OR IN THE COURTS FOR BEING BRUTAL AND INSENSITIVE AND THE PUBLIC IS OFTEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT ONLY PEOPLE WHO CANNOT FIND OTHER JOBS JOIN PRISON STAFF, HE POINTED OUT.
MR CLIFFORD IS ON THE WAY TO HELSINKI, FINLAND WHERE HE WILL ACT AS A CONSULTANT TO A NEW UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE THERE.
/+CHURCHILL ONCE