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The first stage of the swapping project of Lai King Training Centre (LKTC) for young male offenders and Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution (TGCI) for young female offenders had been completed, the Correctional Services Department announced today (April 25).
The implementation of the project's first stage covered the transfer of 128 young male inmates and recallees from LKTC to Cape Collinson Correctional Institution (CCCI) and Pik Uk Correctional Institution. (Recallees are supervisees who breach supervision requirements and they are recalled to penal institutions for further training.)
The swapping project will be conducted in three stages and is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.
The entire process includes the expansion of CCCI to accommodate LKTC inmates, conversion of LKTC to accommodate inmates of TGCI and Chi Lan Rehabilitation Centre (CLRC), and conversion of TGCI to accommodate former LKTC inmates. At present, CLRC provides short-term residential rehabilitation programme for young female offenders.
Completion of the project will alleviate overcrowding in young female institutions and enhance resource deployment in male training centres to fully utilise resources of various correctional programmes.
Upon completion, LKTC will be re-gazetted as Lai King Correctional Institution (LKCI). At the same time, TGCI will be re-gazetted for holding training centre inmates for the accommodation of all former LKTC inmates.
The department's Senior Superintendent (Penal Administration) Dr Kwan Ming-tak said that with a capacity of 240 penal places for young female offenders, LKCI would accommodate all former inmates at TGCI and CLRC; whereas TGCI would function as the former LKTC to providing up to 140 penal places for male training centre inmates.
"The past 10 years have seen a steady downward trend in the young male penal population and an upsurge of young female offenders in department institutions. A task group was formed earlier to review the latest admission trends and projected changes for ways to achieve optimal use of resources," Dr Kwan said.
No major overhaul works are involved except conversion projects including turning office facilities into workshops and classrooms and upgrading of training equipment and making minor changes to toilet facilities.
Dr Kwan, who is also chairman of the task group, said the conversion works would pave the way for service betterment and improvement of ageing facilities in the two institutions. "More facilities would be available for extended rehabilitation services, such as vocational training for food and beverage and hair-styling, and provide venues for matching programmes following the launch of Risk and Needs Assessment and Management Protocol for Offenders."
"To ensure adequate provision of custodial and rehabilitative services to inmates, internal staff deployment in different phases has been reviewed, professional staff including clinical psychologists, masters and technical instructors will be reshuffled across institutions to optimise the cost-effective use of manpower. The department will continue to explore all possible ways of enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness as a government department," he said.
The second stage of the swapping project will start about January, 2008.
Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:30
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