151ST INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSEPARTICIPANTS’PAPERS
PARTICIPANTS’ PAPERSOVERVIEW OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTOF HONG KONG
Chun-kit Lawrence Chow*I. Introduction
The Correctional Services Department (CSD) of Hong Kong runs a comprehensive range of rehabilitation
programmes targeting different types of persons in custody, such as young offenders, drug dependants, firsttime offenders and recidivists.
With an establishment of 6,807 staff, CSD manages 29 correctional facilities comprising correctional
institutions, half-way houses and custodial wards of public hospitals. The correctional institutions include
minimum, medium and maximum security prisons, a psychiatric centre and training, detention, rehabilitationand drug addiction treatment centres. Apart from 24 correctional institutions, there are three half-way
houses and two custodial wards, which altogether accommodate about 9,100 persons in custody. CSD also
runs an extensive community-based supervision service with some 2,400 persons under active supervision.
As a brief introduction to the CSD, some selected services are introduced below.

II. Industries and Vocational Training
CSD keeps convicted persons purposely and gainfully occupied for maintaining prison stability. In thepursuit of rehabilitation for offenders, the Industries and Vocational Training Section helps the offenders
reintegrate into the society through acquisition of skills in industrial work and by providing vocational
training to enhance their employability.
For young inmates, CSD provides half-day compulsory technical, commercial and services training. Equal
importance is placed on theoretical and practical aspects of the curriculum, which prepares them to pursue
further training after release.
Adult offenders engaged in industrial production are trained to acquire necessary skills. Where appropriate,
CSD helps them obtain skill accreditation by enrolling them in relevant Intermediate Trade Tests conductedby vocational training organisations, or applying through the Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme under the
Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

III. Supervision ServiceTo ensure continued care and guidance, statutory supervision is provided for young inmates; persons
released from training, detention, rehabilitation and drug addiction treatment centres; and those released
under various schemes, such as the Release Under Supervision Scheme (RUSS), Pre-release Employment
Scheme (PRES), Post-release Supervision of Prisoners Scheme (PRSS), Conditional Release Scheme (CRS)and Supervision After Release Scheme (SARS). The supervision staff works closely with inmates’ families
to establish good relationships between inmates and their families and to prepare inmates to face possible
challenges and demands upon their return to the community. Continuous contact is maintained with every
inmate in custody. Close supervision continues after discharge through frequent visits to supervisees’
homes or places of work throughout the supervision period.

* Principal Officer, Lai Chi Kok Reception Center, Hong Kong.

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IV. Welfare and Counselling Services
Rehabilitation Officers look after the welfare of prisoners and inmates who are in custody or on remandby providing assistance and guidance to help them solve their personal problems and cope with difficulties
arising from detention. The officers also organize programmes such as the Sentence Planning Scheme toencourage prisoners serving long-term sentences to spend their time purposefully and the Pre-release
Re-integration Orientation Courses to prepare prisoners for release.
To further improve rehabilitative services for offenders through community involvement, CSD officers
work closely with over 80 non-government organizations (NGOs) to coordinate a variety of activities ranging
from counselling services and religious sacraments to large-scale cultural ventures and recreational projects
in correctional institutions.

V. Psychological Services
Psychological services are provided for inmates/prisoners to improve their psychological well-being andhelp change their offending behaviour. Psychological assessments are provided for the courts, review boards
and institution management to facilitate their decision-making and management of offenders. To assist in
programme planning and improve treatment effectiveness, an automated programme for identifying thereoffending risks and rehabilitative needs of offenders has been developed.

VI. Education
Half-day compulsory education in general and practical subjects is provided for young inmates. The
programmes enable inmates to improve their academic standards, which help their future reintegration.
They are encouraged to study for local and international public examinations. Tutorial groups and hobby
classes conducted by volunteer tutors are run in adult institutions, where prisoners can enrol voluntarily.
Prisoners are also encouraged to participate in self-study courses or distant learning for tertiary education
by making use of the resources and expertise of external accredited educational organizations.

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