FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1993
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OVERCROWDING IN PRISONS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
MORE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO MEET THE INCREASED DEMANDS THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE OUTGOING COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR JOHN ASHWORTH, SAID (FRIDAY).
OF
DEPUTY TODAY
MUST
THE PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING AND SHORTAGE OF FACILITIES BE OVERCOME SOON IF WE ARE TO AVOID A DETERIORATION IN STANDARDS AND A BREAKDOWN IN DISCIPLINE, HE SAID.
"BECAUSE ONCE STANDARDS DROP, AND I KNOW THIS FROM FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE, THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO REVERSE, HE POINTED OUT.
ADDRESSING A PASSING-OUT PARADE IN STANLEY TODAY (FRIDAY), MR ASHWORTH TOLD THE YOUNG STAFF THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S TASK HAD NEVER BEEN AN EASY ONE, ESPECIALLY WHEN NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS WERE AGGRAVATED BY OVERCROWDING IN PRISONS AND INADEQUATE FACILITIES.
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'REGRETTABLY OVERCROWDING STILL EXISTS TODAY AS IT DID WHEN I JOINED THE SERVICE. THIS IS PLACING GREAT PRESSURE ON INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES AND STAFF, AS WELL AS HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES, HE SAID.
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LOOKING BACK AT HIS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT, MR ASHWORTH SAID THE DEPARTMENT TODAY WAS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE HE JOINED IN 1962.
"IN THE INTERVENING YEARS HONG KONG HAS PROGRESSED AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WHICH HAVE SEEN POSITIVE CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMMES REPLACE THE WAREHOUSING' OF PRISONERS WHICH WAS COMMON IN THE 60'S AND EARLY 70'S, HE SAID.
HE TOLD THOSE ON PARADE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF A CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICER WERE A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY, DEDICATION, A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF PATIENCE AND, AT TIMES, COURAGE.
MR ASHWORTH WILL RETIRE IN MARCH THIS YEAR AFTER SERVING IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
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PARENTS PLAY VITAL ROLE IN
DEVELOPMENT OF DISABLED CHILDREN
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MRS PATTEN TODAY (FRIDAY) EXTENDED HER PERSONAL ADMIRATION PARENTS WHO HAD DEDICATED THEIR LOVE AND CARE ΤΟ THEIR DISABLED CHILDREN, TURNING DISABILITY INTO ABILITY.
AM
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"RAISING A CHILD IS NEVER AN EASY TASK AT THE BEST OF TIMES. SURE THIS IS EVEN MORE SO FOR PARENTS WITH A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY, MRS PATTEN SAID.
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