XN000022-1977-08-03 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1977

PRISONS DEPARTMENT HAS CONTROLLED TRAFFICKING, TRIADS AND CORRUPTION

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THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT HAS SUCCESSFULLY TACKLED THE THREE EVILS TRAFFICKING, TRIADS AND CORRUPTION.

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THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER, MR. TOM GARNER AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF LIONS CLUB OF BAYVIEW THIS AFTERNOON,

HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGING IN SUCH ACTIVITY WOULD ALWAYS BE PRESENT IN PENAL INSTITUTION, IT WAS THE INTENTION OF THE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE DOING SO WOULD BE CAUGHT AND PUNISHED.

+TO THIS END, MR. GARNER STRESSED +WE MAINTAIN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE POLICE AND THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION,+

+COOPERATION IS OF COURSE TWO WAY AND, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY COMPLETED FOR ICAC A TWO-WEEK COURSE AT OUR STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE IR STAFF WHO ARE ENGAGED ON CUSTODIAL WORK, HE ADDED.

EARLIER, MR. GARNER CLARIFIED SOME ASPECTS OF THE REORGANISATION WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE WITHIN THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

HE SAID TO SOME PEOPLE, REORGANISATION WOULD BE REFERRED TO AS REFORM- HOWEVER, I AM SUSPICIOUS OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE WORD REFORM HAS BEEN USED IN MANY COUNTRIES IN RECENT YEARS, FOR SOME 'SO CALLED REFORMS' HAVE BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN CHANGE AMOUNTING TO THE BUYING OF PRISONER COOPERATION.

+THIS. I ASSURE YOU IS NOT THE CASE IN THE REORGANISATION WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE WITHIN THE PRISONS HERE. INDEED, FAR FROM

IT, A PRISONER TODAY HAS A MUCH MORE ARDUOUS LIFE WITH FIRM DISCIPLINE AND IMPROVED SURVEILLANCE THAN WAS THE CASE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.+

MR. GARNER THEN BRIEFLY REFERRED TO WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS +A LITTLE OF WHAT HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN STANLEY PRISON+ NOTING THAT THERE WAS A WELCOME DROP IN THE POPULATION FROM 2,515 IN MAY LAST YEAR TO 1,964 TODAY.

+THIS PRISON HOLDS THE MAJORITY OF THE MORE VIOLENT ANTI- AUTHORITARIAN OFFENDERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE SERVING LONG SENTENCES, AND SOME OF WHOM WILL GO TO ANY LENGTHS IN ORDER TO ESCAPE, ENGAGE IN SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES OR IN GENERAL CREATE TROUBLE FOR THE STAFF AND OTHER PRISONERS, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, MR. GARNER POINTED OUT THAT THE BUILDING OF AN ADDITIONAL BLOCK TO HOLD 80 PRISONERS HAD ENABLED EFFECTIVE SEGREGATION OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO BE ACHIEVED.

THIS ACTS