ENG-2019 — Page 313

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Public Order

Education

Offenders under 21 receive education and assistance to take local and overseas accredited public examinations, while adults are also encouraged to take self-study courses or tertiary-level distance learning programmes offered by accredited institutions. Those pursuing further studies may apply for financial help from the Prisoners' Education Trust Fund and other education subsidy schemes.

Vocational Training

The CSD provides eligible adult offenders' with the option of taking market-oriented vocational training courses that issue accredited and recognised qualifications. Young offenders under 21 may take half-day vocational training programmes. Sixteen correctional facilities offered over 40 full-time and part-time courses in 2019.

Correctional Services Industries

The department arranges useful work for adult offenders as required by law, to help them. develop good working habits and acquire work skills to facilitate their reintegration into society.

In 2019, a daily average of 4,132 persons in custody were engaged in productive work, providing government departments and subvented bodies with goods and services that covered office furniture, uniforms, leather products, hospital linen, filter masks, fibreglass products, traffic signs, precast concrete products, metal products, laundry services, book binding, printing work, file jackets and envelopes. The market value of these goods and services was $469 million. To facilitate the government's implementation of the modern office layout concept, a new series of standard office furniture was produced and would be put into use starting from 2020.

Welfare and Counselling

Rehabilitation officers handle the welfare matters of persons in custody and help them deal with personal problems arising from their detention or imprisonment. The officers provide counselling and rehabilitation programmes, such as cooperating with different stakeholders in society to hold diversified rehabilitation activities. Pre-release reintegration orientation courses supply information on community resources to help persons in custody reintegrate into society.

Psychological Services

The department provides psychological services to improve the psychological well-being of persons in custody and their offending behaviour. Clinical psychologists and trained CSD officers provide treatment for sex offenders, violent offenders, drug addicts and young persons in custody, and gender-specific treatment programmes for adult males and females. They submit assessment reports, including on the person's risk of reoffending upon discharge, to the courts, review boards and institutional management on request.

1 'Eligible adult offender' means an adult offender who is allowed to be employed or work and is not subject to any

condition of stay in Hong Kong after discharge.

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