326 Public Order
During the year, 15 133 adult offenders, comprising 9 880 men and 5 253 women, were sentenced to prison and 8 231 adults (6 278 men and 1 953 women) on remand were taken into custody. The number of young offenders sentenced to imprisonment totalled 684, comprising 370 males and 314 females, and 780 young people on remand (642 males and 138 females) were taken into custody. In addition, 841 young offenders (761 males and 80 females) were sentenced to detention in training centres, rehabilitation centres or the detention centre, and 1 316 offenders (1 080 males and 236 females) were placed in drug addiction treatment centres; while 3 672 offenders (3 155 males and 517 females) were remanded pending reports on their suitability for sentencing to one of these centres.
CSD has been actively looking for opportunities to improve penal facilities and relieve the overcrowding problem in some institutions. For example, the Lo Wu Correctional Institution redevelopment project commenced in 2007, and is expected to be completed in early 2010. The new institution can accommodate 1 400 inmates.
Assessment Services
Young people aged between 14 and 20, who are convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment, may be remanded in custody for a period not exceeding three weeks for assessment of their suitability for admission to a training centre, rehabilitation centre, detention centre or drug addiction treatment centre. Young men aged between 21 and 24 may be similarly remanded for admission to the detention centre.
In 2008, the Rehabilitation Unit prepared a total of 5 195 suitability reports to the courts, and recommended 1 556 males and 194 females suitable for admission to a rehabilitation centre, a training centre or detention centre, and 1 261 males and 333 females suitable for a drug addiction treatment centre.
Young Offender Assessment Panel
The Young Offender Assessment Panel, comprising representatives from the CSD and the Social Welfare Department, makes recommendations to magistrates and judges on the most appropriate rehabilitation programmes for young male offenders aged between 14 and 24 and females aged 14 to 20.
Training Centres, Detention Centre and Rehabilitation Centres
Training centres provide correctional training for young offenders for periods ranging from six months to three years, which includes half-day educational classes and half-day vocational training. They also receive character development training in the form of scouting, guiding or outward-bound training. Upon release, inmates must have suitable employment, education or vocational training and are subject to statutory supervision lasting three years.
A detention centre programme is carried out at Sha Tsui Detention Centre for young male offenders aged between 14 and 20 for a period between one to and six months, and young male adults aged between 21 and 24 for a period between three and 12 months. It emphasises strict discipline, strenuous training, hard work
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