ENG-1974 — Page 170

PUBLIC ORDER

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Chi Ma Wan Prison on Lantau Island, is a minimum security institution and caters for prisoners serving sentences of under three years, mostly first offenders. This type of institution offers much greater potential for rehabilitation and considerably eases the prisoners' re-integration into society. The prisoners are usually employed on constructive projects, such as afforestation, reclamation, drainage, building and road works, often carried out far from the institution. This work is planned in co-operation with the New Territories Administration and besides giving the prisoners a sense of pride and achievement it greatly benefits the local population.

Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre near Castle Peak in the New Territories was opened in 1972 and caters for remand and convicted male prisoners who require psychiatric care. There is accommodation for 120 patients at the centre which is manned by trained staff with a consultant psychiatrist.—

Tai Lam Centre for Women, also near Castle Peak, caters for remand and con- victed women prisoners, the treatment of convicted females found to be drug addicts and the training and rehabilitation of young female offenders aged between 14 and 21. Work carried out is geared to female inmates and includes a large mechanised laundry.

Chatham Road Centre, near Hung Hom, Kowloon, accommodates young offenders. remanded by the courts for a report from the Commissioner as to their suitability for detention in a training or detention centre, male offenders remanded by the courts on minor offences requiring only minimum security and young offenders sentenced to less than 18 months.

Ma Hang Prison situated near Stanley, on Hong Kong Island, caters for male prisoners requiring only minimum security who are sentenced to less than 18 months and in the case of geriatrics, less than three years.

Pik Uk Prison situated on Clearwater Bay Road, Kowloon, was due for comple- tion in January 1975. Built to ease the growing prison population it will accommodate male prisoners requiring only minimum security and sentenced to less than three years. It is intended that a large proportion of the prisoners will be engaged in outside work on community projects in co-operation with the New Territories Administration.

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Training Centres

These centres provide an alternative to imprisonment for offenders aged between 14 and 21. Being basically a rehabilitative form of training the daily tempo is brisk and the inmates are fully occupied in studies, vocational and trade training, hobbies and sport. A sentence runs from a minimum of six months to a maximum of three years depending upon the inmate's progress and other factors, the average stay being 141 months. This is followed by a compulsory period of three years supervision under an aftercare officer.

Cape Collinson Training Centre on the Cape Collinson headland near Sai Wan, Hong Kong Island, caters for the age group usually 18 to 21 years.

Tai Tam Gap Training Centre, off the Shek O Road, Hong Kong Island, caters for the younger age group, usually 14 to 17 years.