guilty of criminal offences. Although fewer women and girls commit crimes, usually their problems do not come singly and often their moral as well as delinquent behaviour requires adjustment. The programme of activities provided in the Home is focussed on a variety of educational, recreational and work activities coupled with the effective use of the institution's group life. The capacity of the home has proved inadequate in view of the increase of cases referred by the courts. Plans are already advanced to build a new Home at Broadcast Drive, Kowloon.
45. The Kwun Tong Hostel is a probation hosted for young men normally between 16 and 21 years of age, who are placed on probation by the courts with a special condition of residence for a maximum period of one year. It is entirely 'open' with no element of detention and is intended as an ancillary aid to successful probation treatment. The young men are expected normally to be at work and earning a living. The Hostel, as a temporary substitute for a natural home, provides a simple routine of living with warmth, understanding and appropriate guidance, which has been denied to many of those accepted and which is a normal and basic requirement in the process of growing
up.
46. The Hostel has a maximum capacity of 60 and may admit probationers when their home environment is prejudicial to their rehabilitation; when their relationships with their parents and relatives are strained and time is needed for reconciliation; when they have personal problems of immaturity, anti-social behaviour or inability to get on with others; and generally when the less continuous contact and supervision provided by a probation officer are thought to be in- sufficient.
VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS
47. Offenders described as 'socially handicapped' are as much in need of welfare services as others who are handicapped in another way. In this connection officers of the Probation Service liaise with the staff of voluntary welfare organization engaged in a similar kind of work. Apart from informal contacts, these officers serve as advisers or observers on committees and, as in all these relationships, the closeness of contact and level of help and advice will vary from one to the other and from year to year. A close liaison is maintained with the Hong Kong Dis- charged Prisoners' Aid Society and the Probation Service is grateful for facilities made available by various voluntary welfare institutions,
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