SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1984
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PRISONERS THERE ARE ENGAGED IN USEFUL WORK, EITHER ON DOMESTIC SERVICES OR IN VARIOUS WELL-EQUIPPED WORKSHOPS MANAGED BY SPECIALIST INDUSTRIAL STAFF. A VARIETY OF TRADES ARE UNDERTAKEN INCLUDING GARMENT MAKING, CARPENTRY, PRINTING, LEATHER WORK, KNITTING AND LAUNDERING. IN ADDITION, EDUCATION CLASSES, RECREATION PROGRAMMES, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AS WELL AS COUNSELLING ARE ALSO PROVIDED FOR THEM.
ALSO ATTENDING TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY WERE LADY HADDON-CAVE1 THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS; THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR DAVID JEAFFRESON, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR THOMAS GARNER.
IN HIS WELCOMING SPEECH, MR GARNER SAID THAT THE WORK OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CONFORMED WITH ALL LOCAL PROVISIONS AS WELL AS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS STANDARD MINIMUM RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.
HE SAID THAT HONG KONG DID CARE ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS, AS REFLECTED IN THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH PRISONERS ARE CONFINED AND THE ATTITUDE OF THE STAFF.
HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT
THIS DID NOT IMPLY THAT ONE COULD SERVE IMPRISONMENT SENTENCE VERY EASILY.
THE IMPOSITION AND SERVING OF A SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT WAS A PUNISHMENT AND NOTHING ELSE, HE SAID.
MR GARNER SAID THAT THE CORRECT SUPERVISION OF OFFENDERS CALLED FOR DISCIPLINE, WHICH STARTED WITH THE STAFF.
DUE RECOGNITION AND STATUS HAD BEEN GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY TO THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES STAFF WHO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER, WHICH HAD SET HONG KONG APART FROM MOST OTHER COUNTRIES SO FAR AS CORRECTIONS WERE CONCERNED, HE SAID.
SPEAKING AT THE SAME CEREMONY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS SUPPORTED THE COMMISSIONER'S VIEW THAT HIGH STANDARDS OF PRISON CARE WERE A YARDSTICK FOR A CARING COMMUNITY, AND THAT THE LOSS OF LIBERTY WITHIN A DISCIPLINED ENVIRONMENT WAS A VERY REAL PUNISHMENT, AND WAS ENOUGH.
IT WAS A PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE PRISON CONDITIONS, HOWEVER DISCIPLINED THEY MAY BE, TOLERABLE AND HUMANE AND NOT A DEGRADING OR HUMILIATING EXPERIENCE WHICH WILL DEFEAT THE
REHABILITATION OF THE OFFENDER, MR THOMAS SAID.
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