The hospital is for prisoners with physical ailments and those suffering so severely from malnutrition that they cannot work. The light-labour section provides useful but not too heavy work, such as gardening, for prisoners slowly regaining their lose health and strength. Tai Lam prison can accommodate 680 prisoners, and is always full. Most of the remainder had barbiturates, while a very few were found in possession of opium. Admission to Tai Lam is not, however, restricted to men convicted of drug offences.
Records also show a close connexion between drug addiction and other forms of crime.
Conversely, many prisoners convicted on charges having nothing to do with drugs are addicts. Many were once in decent employment, but have sunk lower and lower as more and more of their earnings went on drugs, finally taking to crime to obtain money to satisfy their craving. A new intake of prisoners lining up for inspection. Most have tuberculosis. Less serious cases are given special diet and put on light duties.