Needs on Elder Offenders in Hong Kong

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Introduction

Over the years Hong Kong has evolved an internationally acclaimed correctional scheme, which locations expanding emphasis on correction and rehabilitation of offenders. The Correctional Services Department (CSD) sprints a comprehensive range of rehabilitation programmes targeting distinct kinds of prisoners such as young lawbreakers, drug dependants, first time lawbreakers and recidivists. With an establishment of about 6,680 staff, CSD manages 29 correctional facilities (Jones, 2004). Apart from correctional organisations, there are three half-way houses, four rehabilitation hubs (three are adhered to correctional institutions) and two custodial wards of public clinic, which accommodate about 11 000 inmates. The correctional organisations encompass smallest, intermediate and maximum security prisons, a psychiatric centre and teaching, detention, rehabilitation and drug addiction remedy centres. It also sprints an comprehensive community founded supervision service with some 2 900 individuals under active supervision.

Adult Male Offenders

CSD operates 10 jails for male adults. Lai Chi Kook Reception Centre accommodates prisoners awaiting trial, appellants, and newly convicted prisoners pending classification and allocation to other institutions. Stanley Prison, the largest maximum-security prison, houses prisoners serving life or long-term sentences (Glaser, 2004). Another maximum-security prison, Sheik Pick Prison, houses those serving medium to long-term sentences including life imprisonment. Tong Funk Correctional Institution, Heir Ling Chua Correctional Institution and Pak Shay Wan Correctional Institution are medium-security prisons. The four minimum-security prisons are Tung Tau Correctional Institution, Pick Kum Prison, Tai Lam Correctional Institution and Ma Hang Prison. Elderly prisoners, usually elderly over 60, are housed at Ma suspend Prison. Suit Lam Psychiatric Centre (SLPC) provides psychiatric treatment for the criminally insane, dangerous and violent prisoners. Visiting psychiatrists there furthermore supply psychiatric evaluations for the courts.

Young Male Offenders

Pick Kum Correctional Institution, a maximum-security institution, operates as a reception centre, training centre and prison for young offenders. Cape Collin son Correctional Institution is a training centre for offenders who are aged between 14 and fewer than 21. Those pledged to teaching hubs obtain a time span of teaching from six months to three years. Release is pursued by a three-year compulsory supervision. Shay Tzu Correctional Institution is a minimum security institution which consists of two separate sections to house detention centre (DC) detainees and training centre (TC) recalled inmates (TC-recall) respectively. (Glaser, 2004) The DC section emphasises strict discipline, hard work and counselling. Detention varies from one to six months for offenders aged between 14 and fewer than 21, and three to 12 months for those between 21 and less than 25. There is a 12-month supervision following release. The TC section accommodates TC-recalls who are required to undergo a further period of training to strengthen their determination in rehabilitation. Lai Chi and Lai suspend Rehabilitation hubs house juvenile male lawbreakers for an aggregate period of three to nine months. The rehabilitation centre programme, introduced in 2002, focuses on reformation of young offenders, who are subject to one year's supervision after release (Jones, 2004).

Female Offenders

There are three feminine institutions. Tai Lam Centre for Women purposes ...