ENG-2003 — Page 414

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accommodated at the Hei Ling Treatment Centre and the Lai Sun Correctional Institution, and females at the Chi Ma Wan Drug Addiction Treatment Centre. Adult and young inmates are accommodated separately. An inmate undergoes in-centre treatment from two to 12 months, followed by one year's statutory after-care supervision. The programme is based on therapeutic treatment, discipline, work programmes, outdoor physical activities and comprehensive after-care service.

Medical Services

All institutions have their own hospitals providing basic medical treatment, health and dental care to inmates. Those requiring specialist treatment are either referred to visiting consultants or to specialist clinics in public hospitals. HIV and AIDS have not caused any problem in the institutions. However, the department has established guidelines for its staff on handling such cases, as well as a programme of education and prevention.

Ante-natal and post-natal care is provided in institutions for female inmates, but babies are normally delivered in public hospitals. The Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre treats prisoners with mental health problems, and offers psychiatric consultations and assessments for inmates on referral from other institutions and the courts.

To guard against any SARS infection within the penal institutions, the department closely monitored the development of the outbreak in Hong Kong. Screening procedures were strictly followed and all newly admitted inmates had their body temperature checked as well as being placed under observation for a certain period. Medical consultations were arranged for any inmates showing suspected symptoms of SARS. The concerted efforts of front-line staff and management of the institutions proved effective as no SARS infection was recorded in any of the institutions.

Psychological Services

Psychological services are provided to inmates to enhance their psychological well- being and to correct their offending behaviour. Clinical psychologists and trained officers provide special treatment programmes for inmates such as sex offenders, violent offenders, inmates with addiction problems and young offenders. They also provide assessment reports to the courts, review boards and institutional management to assist decision-making on the management and rehabilitation of offenders.

After-care Services

After-care supervision is provided to persons discharged from training, rehabilitation, detention and drug addiction treatment centres, young prisoners and prisoners discharged under the Release Under Supervision, Pre-release Employment and Post- release Supervision Schemes, as well as prisoners discharged under a conditional release order or post-release supervision order. The aim of after-care services is to facilitate supervisees' rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Rapport among the supervisees, their families and the after-care staff is cultivated to help the supervisees to tackle obstacles in their path to rehabilitation. Throughout the statutory supervision period, regular contacts are maintained between the after-care staff and their respective supervisees to ensure that the supervisees settle well into the community and comply with the conditions of the supervision orders. Any breach of the supervision conditions may result in the supervisee being recalled for a further period of training, treatment or imprisonment.