XN000022-1980-03-28 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1980

POINTING OUT THAT GOOD ORDER IN PENAL ESTABLISHMENTS WAS MOST NECESSARY, MR GARNER SAID THAT DURING LAST YEAR, IN SOME 1 347 CASES OF PRISONERS REPORTED FOR MISCONDUCT, A TOTAL OF 15 715 DAYS REMISSION WERE FORFEITED.

HE SAID, LOSS OF REMISSION FOR BREACHES OF PRISON DISCIPLINE IS ONE OF THE BEST TOOLS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN USE TO ENFORCE DISCIPLINE.

→WITH THIS IN MIND, REPRESENTATION HAS BEEN MADE TO HAVE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND DIETARY PUNISHMENT ERASED FROM THE PRISON RULES. THE FORMER HAS NEVER BEEN USED IN 28 YEARS AND THE LATTER VERY SPARINGLY IN RECENT YEARS.+

MR GARNER NOTED THAT DUE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE METRIC SYSTEM, DIETARY SCALES FOR PRISONERS MUST BE REVIEWED, AND HE WAS PRESENTLY CONSIDERING WHETHER THERE WAS A REAL NEED TO PROVIDE THREE SEPARATE DIETS WITHIN INSTITUTIONS.

HE SAID: THERE ARE FEW COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WHICH CATER IN THIS WAY FOR PRISONERS, CERTAINLY THE UNITED KINGDOM DOES NOT AND IT MAY BE THAT THERE IS NO LONGER A REQUIREMENT FOR OTHER THAN A CHINESE TYPE DIET. PRISON MEDICAL OFFICERS CAN VARY OR SUPPLEMENT THIS DIET NOW AND THIS WOULD CONTINUE. SUCH VARIATION IS DONE ON RELIGIOUS AS WELL AS HEALTH GROUNDS.

MR GARNER ALSO DESCRIBED AS MOST ENCOURAGING THE RESULT OF THE DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG MALE ADULTS AGED 21 AND UNDER 25 WHICH COMMENCED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

+IN THAT TIME, 156 YOUNG ADULTS HAVE BEEN SENTENCED BY THE COURTS TO DETENTION CENTRE TRAINING OF WHICH 100 HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE PROGRAMME AND BEEN DISCHARGED, + HE SAID.

+SO FAR OUT OF THIS 100, ONLY FOUR HAVE BEEN RECONVICTED FOR A FURTHER OFFENCE, HE REMARKED ADDING THAT 40 HAD ALREADY COMPLETED THE MANDATORY SUPERVISION PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS.

DURING THE CEREMONY TODAY, MR GARNER PRESENTED COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDALS AND CLASPS TO 14 PRISON STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAD CHALKED UP A COMBINED TOTAL OF 363 YEARS SERVICE WITH THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.

THE RECIPIENTS INCLUDED A SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT, AN ACTING SUPERINTENDENT, TWO CHIEF OFFICERS, AN OFFICER, EIGHT ASSISTANT OFFICERS AND A SENIOR FOREMAN,

THE COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDAL IS AWARDED FOR 18 YEARS' EXEMPLARY SERVICE, THE FIRST CLASP FOR 25 YEARS' AND THE SECOND CLASP FOR 30 YEARS' SERVICE.

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