XN000022-1974-02-23 — Page 5

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Saturday, February 23, 1974

PRISON SERVICES UP TO STANDARD

Hong Kong's prisons services compare favourably with the best

penal institutions in Britain, according to the newly appointed Inspector

of Prisons, Mr. David Hampton.

Addressing new recruits at their passing out parade at the Prisons

Department Staff Training Institute this (Saturday) morning, Mr. Hampton

said: "Recently having been to the United Kingdom and visited numerous

prison establishments, by comparison I can assure you that, as a

discipline service, you can be rightly proud."

However, there were problems within the department, especially

at Stanley Prison, he said, "and these problems have got to be squarely

faced."

To indicate, the importance that is attached to this, all the new

graduates would be posted at Stanley.

Mr. Hampton told the officers that one of the greatest problems

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at Stanley is overcrowding. Plans are in hand to reduce this, he said,

but in the meantime the officers must be vigilant and aware of the difficulties

that overcrowding brings.

He noted that the department was going through a tremendous amount

of reorganisation, changes in handling prisoners and a change in institutional

roles.

But the uniformed officer, he stressed, "is still the backbone of the

prison service."

Note to Editors:

Copies of Mr. Hampton's speech are boxed

for collection.

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