XN000022-1996-11-13 — Page 3

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Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners (Amendment) Bill 1996

The Government is seeking to amend existing legislation to empower certain officers to arrest, and take into custody, a person who has failed to comply with the terms of a supervision order issued under the Post-Release Supervision Scheme, a Government spokesman said today (Wednesday).

The Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners (Amendment) Bill 1996, to be gazetted on Friday (November 15), seeks to give such powers to Police officers and certain ranks of Correctional Services officers.

"It is desirable and necessary to specify such powers in the Ordinance because without them, it will hamper the effective implementation of the Scheme," the spokesman explained.

The objective of the recently-announced Post-Release Supervision Scheme is to provide discharged prisoners with guidance and supervision to help them reintegrate into society and lead a normal, useful life, thus minimising recidivism.

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The Scheme is needed because many prisoners, after serving long periods of detention and with limited preparation for what to expect after their release, often do not know how best to adapt to a law-abiding life upon their return to the community.

The Bill is expected to be introduced into the Legislative Council on November 27 this year.

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New member appointed to Law Reform Commission

The Chairman of the Law Reform Commission, the Attomey General, Mr Jeremy Mathews, today (Wednesday) announced the appointment of a new member to the Commission. Dr Lawrence Lai, Deputy Director (Corporate Affairs) of the Hospital Authority, has been appointed a member of the Commission for a term of three years.

Mr Mathews welcomed Dr Lai's appointment and said he looked forward to working with him on the Commission. Mr Mathews also announced the re- appointment of Professor Yash Ghai, Mr Gage McAfee and Mr Justein Wong for a second three year term. Mr Mathews said he was pleased that Professor Ghai, Mr McAfee and Mr Wong had accepted another term, saying that it was important to the Commission to have continuity of membership.