XN000022-1980-02-14 — Page 2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1980

HK TO HOST FIRST ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS

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HONG KONG WILL HOST THE FIRST ASIAN AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS AT PRISONS DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS BETWEEN FEBRUARY 25 AND 29 THIS YEAR.

THE FIVE-DAY CONFERENCE IS ORGANISED BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (THURSDAY), THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR T.G. GARNER SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE IS TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS COMMON PROBLEMS AMONG CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGION.

IT IS ALSO AIMED AT PREPARING FOR THE SIXTH UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN CARACAS, VENEZUELA LATER THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE CONFERENCE INCLUDE THE TRENDS AND PROBLEMS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES- ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT AND THE IR EFFECT ON PRISON MANAGEMENT AND THE PROVISION OF EXTERNAL SUPERVISION MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGION ON THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS.

+CLEARLY THE CULTURAL VARIATIONS BETWEEN COUNTRIES WILL MAKE FOR CONTRAST AND DIVERSITY BUT THE PROBLEMS OF ORGANISING AND ADMINISTERING CORRECTIONAL SERVICES HAVE COMMON FEATURES,+ MR GARNER SAID. HE FURTHER ADDED, IT IS HOPED TO DISTIL THESE PROBLEMS FROM THE DISCUSSIONS AND TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WHICH ARE OF MOST CONCERN TO CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS IN THE REGION.+

DELEGATES FROM 14 COUNTRIES IN THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC REGION AS WELL AS CANADA FROM NORTH AMERICA WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE. THESE INCLUDE AUSTRALIA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, MACAU, MALAYSIA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, THE PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE, SRI LANKA, THAILAND, TONGA, WESTERN SAMOA AND HONG KONG. IN ADDITION, THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY WILL BE REPRESENTED.

HONG KONG WILL BE REPRESENTED BY A TEAM OF FOUR SENIOR OFFICERS HEADED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR T.G. GARNER. THE OTHER OFFICERS ARE. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR CHAN WA-SHEK- SENIOR SUPER INTENDENT MR T.A. HANDLEY AND CHIEF OFFICER MISS CATHERINE SUN.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, WILL OFFICIATE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER ON FEBRUARY 25.

DURING THE CONFERENCE, DELEGATES WILL VISIT A NUMBER OF PENAL INSTITUTIONS TO SEE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES AND FACILITIES ADMINISTERED BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

/INSTITUTIONS C