Hong Kong – Chairman of Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders reviews CSD passing-out parade (with photos)

     The Correctional Services Department (CSD) held a passing-out parade at the Hong Kong Correctional Services Academy today (April 21). The Chairman of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders, Ms Tsui Li, reviewed the parade, marking the graduation of 24 Officers and 63 Assistant Officers II.

     Speaking at the parade, Ms Tsui commended correctional officers for sparing no effort to maintain a safe and secure custodial environment, enhance rehabilitation programmes and foster community education. She pointed out that in recent years, arising from a large number of people with radical thoughts and violent behaviours being detained in correctional institutions, the CSD has adopted a nip-it-in-the-bud strategy and made necessary arrangements through flexible deployment of resources in a timely manner, while strengthening supervision and intelligence collection, thus preventing the prisons from being turned into bases for subversion against China and Hong Kong. 

     Ms Tsui mentioned that to address the special rehabilitation needs of the persons in custody (PICs) with radical thoughts and violent behaviours, the CSD has introduced a programme named “Project PATH” to help PICs disengage from radical thoughts and violent behaviours progressively, establish correct values, and enhance their sense of national identity. In addition, the CSD launched an initiative “Project JET” to provide more employment opportunities, including those in the Greater Bay Area, for young PICs and rehabilitated persons. Moreover, professionals from different sectors have been invited to host life planning courses held in institutions to help PICs prepare themselves for employment and further studies.

     She also pointed out that the CSD launched a number of new services in the past year, including the establishment of multi-purpose family and rehabilitation service centres, expanding psychological counselling services to the community and further strengthening the psychological and counselling services for rehabilitated offenders and their families. 

     She said that the CSD has been actively promoting community education, and has been organising diversified activities under the Rehabilitation Pioneer Project to instil in young people correct values, enhance their awareness of safeguarding the country and home as well as nurture them to be responsible and law-abiding citizens. 

     During the parade, Ms Tsui presented the Principal’s Shield to Officer Mr Yu Tak-ho and the Golden Whistle to three Assistant Officers II, Ms Tsang Fai-ying, Mr Lee Ho-man and Mr Wong Heung-yin, for their outstanding performance in the recruit training.

     Ms Tsui encouraged graduates to uphold the CSD’s professionalism and fearless spirit to perform their duties with a view to creating a better and harmonious Hong Kong.