had been made in the past as regards both criteria of eligibility and the form of assistance given, and these had resulted in improvements of limited scope; some examples being the replacement of cooked meals by dry rations, the discounting of outgoing payments for education and rent up to an approved limit when assessing family income for the purpose of determining eligibility, and the disbursement of cash grants to certain categories of persons for whom aid in the form of food was unsuitable.
10. With the passage of time, rising standards of living, and changes in concept of social welfare (from the aim of providing relief to the aim of social rehabilitation) it became increasingly apparent to every organization concerned with helping people in financial distress that the need was for a more extensive programme of assistance for which Government should bear the ultimate responsibility. A review of broad aims and objectives for public assistance was therefore made by the Department in consultation with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and the Social Services Branch of the Colonial Secretariat.
THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT
11. The Department is organized into the following component parts:
The Group and Community Work Division
The Probation and Corrections Division
The Family Services Division and
The Headquarters Administration, which also includes various
other Sections and Units.
An organizational chart of the Department can be seen at Appendix 23.
12. The duties of the Probation and Corrections Division arise from the provisions of the following statutes and subsidiary legislation:
The Industrial and Reformatory Schools Ordinance, Cap 225 The Juvenile Offenders Ordinance, Cap 226
The Probation of Offenders Ordinance, Cap 298
These duties fall within two main categories. The Probation Service of the Division works to the courts for the probation of offenders, while the correctional institutions serve to rehabilitate delinquent
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