"JESDAY, MARCH 19, 1985
JOINT FORUM TO ASSESS OFFENDERS' NEEDS
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ONE AREA IN THE FIELD OF SERVICES FOR OFFENDERS THAT DESERVES SER SCRUTINY IS THE SCOPE FR CLOSER CO-OPERATION AMONG 'ARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVE., THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL
ELFARE (OPERATIONS), MRS EVELYN DOE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING AT A LIONS CLUE LUNCHEON MEETING, SHE SAID AT PRESET A PRESIDING JUDGE MIGHT CALL FOR REPORTS ON AN OFFENDER FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.
THERE MIGHT BE MERIT IN ESTABLISHING A FORUM WHICH WOULD ERING TOGETHER THE SKILLS OF SOCIAL WORKERS, CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PEOPLE FROM OTHER PROFESSIONS TO JOINTLY ASSESS THE NEEDS OF AN OFFENDER, SHE SAID.
*THIS WOULD NOT ONLY AVOID DUPLICATION OF EFFORT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PRESIDING JUDGE COULD BE ASSURED OF RECEIVING THE BEST ADVICE POSSIBLE ON THE BASIS OF WHICH HE CAN DECIDE ON THE MOST APPROPRIATE TREATMENT, SHE ADDED.
MPS DOE NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS, IN THE FIELD OF SERVICES FOR OFFENDERS AS IN OTHER WELFARE FIELDS, THERE HAD BLEN A SHIFT IN EMPHASIS FROM RESIDENTIAL CARE AND TRAINING TO MORE +C.MMUNITY- BASED+ TREATMENT PROGRAMMES.
SEVERAL COUNTRIES HAD SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCED A COMMĻI” SERVICE ORDERS SCHEME AS A FURTHER OPTION TO CUSTODIAL SENTENTES, SHE SAID.
IN HONG KONG, THE COMMUNITY SER ICE ORDERS ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED LAST YEAR TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LEGAL FRAMEWORK JOK UCH A SCHEME TO BE STARTED HERE, FOLLOWING A PILOT PROJECT OF IMITED DURATION.
MRS DOE SAID THAT BEFORE SUH A PILOT SCHEME COULD BE LAUNCHED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO SEND AT
FICER ABROAD TO STUDY THE MODUS OPERANDI, ASSESS THE RESOURCE *PLICATIONS AND DECIDE HOW IT COULD BEST BE APPLIED TO MEET OUR
NEEDS.
J
+wE HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO DO THIS AS SOON AS RESOURCE > PERMIT, SHE SAID.
ON THE DEPARTMENT'S USE OF VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS, MRS DOE SAID THAT SINCE THE ACEPTION
F THE SCHEME IN 1978, MORE
17: VOLUNTEERS HAD PARTICIPATED.
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/+THIS INVOLVEMENT