XN000022-1984-11-24 — Page 6

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1984

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CJ OPENS NEW BOYS HOME

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THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT HE DID NOT THINK THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS COULD BE ACHIEVED BY HARSHNESS, OR EVEN BY FIRMNESS, ALONE.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S PUI CHI BOYS' HOME IN QUARRY BAY THIS MORNING.

YOUNG PEOPLE WERE RESPONSIVE TO KINDNESS AND UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT WHICH DID NOT CONTAIN THESE WAS UNLIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL, HE SAID.

SOME PEOPLE, HE SAID, BELIEVED THAT THE SOCIAL WORK APPROACH TO THE CORRECTION AND MODIFICATION OF BEHAVIOUR, AS PIONEERED IN WESTERN COUNTRIES, WAS TOO SOFT.

+CLEARLY WE MUST IMPRESS UPON YOUNG OFFENDERS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THEIR CONDUCT AND THE RISKS WHICH IT POSES FOR THEIR OWN WELFARE AND FOR THE PEACE OF MIND OF THOSE WHO ARE FOND OF THEM, + HE SAID.

+NO DOUBT THERE MUST BE PUNISHMENT FOR WRONG-DOING, BUT WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT REPEAT THOSE OFFENCES AND DO NOT FALL INTO A PATTERN OF LONG-TERM CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD THEM TO SPENDING YEARS OF THE IR LIVES IN PRISON.+

SIR DENYS SAID THE PUI CHI BOYS' HOME HAD BEEN PLANNED AS +AN OPEN INSTITUTION WHERE THE BOYS WILL LIVE IN SMALL GROUPS IN A DOMESTIC ATMOSPHERE.+

+THIS HOME,+ HE SAID, WILL BE RUN BY MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCED IN DEALING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN UNEASY, UNHAPPY, UNSATISFACTORY OR TURBULENT,+

+THEY WILL, I AM SURE, DEAL WITH THEM WITH SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT THEY EMERGE FROM THE HOME BETTER EQUIPPED TO TAKE A PROPER PLACE IN SOCIETY THAN WHEN THEY ENTERED IT, HE SAID.

SPEAKING EARLIER, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT THE COURTS' DIRECTIONS ON THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS BY MEANS OF PROBATION SUPERVISION, RESIDENTIAL TRAINING AND AFTERCARE SERVICES.

THE RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS, HE SAID, PROVIDED TRAINING IN A DISCIPLINED AND CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, USING SOCIAL ATTITUDES SO THAT THE YOUNG OFFENDERS WOULD LIVE AS LAW-ABIDING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AFTER THEIR DISCHARGE.

/+FOR SOME

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