Rehabilitation Programmes for Persons in Custody (PICs)

Besides providing a decent and healthy environment for persons in custody, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) aims to provide diversified and appropriate rehabilitation programmes for PICs, which help them rehabilitate and re-integrate into society.

Rehabilitation Programmes of CSD

Here are the rehabilitation programmes provided by CSD and the target recipients.

Pre-sentence Assessment

Before the offender is sentenced, he may be referred by the court to a pre-sentence assessment. He will be interviewed on whether he is suitable for one of the rehabilitation programmes. The Department will then advise the court the most appropriate treatment for the offender.

Target recipients include PICs of:

• Detention Centre
  The detention centre programme is carried out at Sha Tsui Correctional Institution for young male offenders aged between 14 and 20, and young male adults aged between 21 and 24. It emphasises strict discipline, strenuous training, hard work and a vigorous routine. After release, they are subject to a statutory supervision period of one year.
• Rehabilitation Centres
  Rehabilitation Centres provide training to deal with young offenders aged between 14 and 20, and in need of a short-term residential rehabilitation programme. The programme consists of two phases with a total period of detention ranging from 3 to 9 months. Discharged young offenders are subject to a statutory period of supervision of one year.
• Training Centres
  Training Centres provide correctional training for young offenders aged between 14 and 20 for training periods ranging from a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 3 years. They are provided with half-day educational classes and half-day vocational training as well as character development programmes. Upon release, young offenders must have suitable employment, education or vocational training and are subject to a statutory period of supervision of three years.
• Drug Addiction Treatment Centres
  Drug Addiction Treatment Centres provide compulsory treatment for drug addicts. A PIC undergoes in-centre treatment from 2 to 12 months, followed by one year’s statutory supervision. The programme is based on therapeutic treatment, discipline, work programmes, outdoor physical activities and comprehensive supervision services.

Young Offender Assessment

Young male offenders aged 14 to 24 and young female offenders aged 14 to 20 may be referred by the court and be interviewed by The Young Offender Assessment Panel, which is jointly formed by professionals of CSD and the Social Welfare Department. The panel will then recommend the most appropriate treatment for each case.

Welfare Support and Counselling

Right from the moment the PICs are admitted to a correctional institution, they may receive the welfare support and counselling from the CSD.

The welfare support and counselling cover the following areas:

• to cater for the PICs’ welfare needs;
• to help the PICs cope with their adjustment problems arising from imprisonment;
• to assist in the provision of various rehabilitation programmes to meet the rehabilitative needs of the PICs; and
• to help the PICs get prepared for their release by providing them with pre-release counselling services and if necessary, referring them to appropriate social welfare organisations for follow-up support and services.

Psychological Services

Psychological services are provided to improve the mental health of PICs and to change their offending behaviours.

The services are carried out by a team of clinical psychologists and departmental officers trained in psychological work. Programmes include:

• treatment programme for sex offenders and offenders with substance abuse;
• mental health programme and violence prevention programme for adult offenders;
• PREP programme for young offenders to develop pro-social values and to change their offending behaviours;
• parent-inmate programme “Heart Start” to enhance the involvement of the offenders’ families in the rehabilitation process.

Education

Young PICs under 21 receive half-day education classes. They are also encouraged to take public examinations, such as the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination.

For adult PICs, they can participate on voluntary basis in self-studying courses or distance-learning programmes for tertiary education, such as the distance learning courses of Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

Vocational Training

CSD provided half-day vocational training courses for Young PICs under 21, covering commercial practice, creative multimedia technology, coffee house operations, western snack and dessert making, building services, beauty care, etc. They include:

• courses for taking the trade tests conducted by the Vocational Training Council or the Construction Industry Council
• Qualifications Framework recognised programmes
• courses for acquiring vocational skills for job placement

Adult PICs can participate in vocational training courses to acquire skills and generic knowledge of various trades, and to obtain market-accredited qualifications so as to enhance their employability or enable them to enrol in bridging/progressive courses after release. To prepare for employment after release, pre-release vocational courses may be provided.

Statutory Supervision

PICs may be discharged for statutory supervision before the end of their imprisonment under the Release under Supervision Scheme and the Pre-release Employment Scheme. The supervision staff will visit the supervisees’ home or workplace regularly. With the support of the PICs’ families, other persons (including employers, NGOs, etc.) and supervision staff, the PICs can prepare for the challenges on their return to the community.

PICs released from training centres, rehabilitation centres, detention centre and drug addiction treatment centres and those subject to post release supervision under Post-Release Supervision of Prisoners Ordinance and Long-term Prison Sentences Review Ordinance will also be supervised by supervision staff so that they can re-integrate into the society smoothly.

Rehabilitation Synergistic Partners

The Department works closely with Rehabilitation Synergistic Partners to provide rehabilitation programmes. There are around 100 NGOs / charities / organisations / community stakeholders providing counselling and keep running cultural, religious and recreational projects, or actively involving in departmental long-term project and planning. You can refer to the list below:

1. Agency for Volunteer Service
2. Alliance Bible Seminary Student Evangelistic Band
3. Association of The Hong Kong Central and Western District
4. Barnabas Charitable Service Association
5. Buddha's Light International Association of HK
6. Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation (HK)
7. Care and Inclusion for Rehabilitated Offender Association Limited
8. Care and Love Foundation Company Limited
9. Care of Rehabilitated Offenders Association Limited
10. Caritas Community Support Project on Development of Sexual Health
11. Caritas Lok Heep Club
12. Catholic Diocese of HK Bishop's Office
13. Caritas WONG YIU NAM Centre
14. Chabad of Hong Kong
15. Cheong Bun Gratia Association
16. Christian Action
17. Christian Fellowship of Pastoral Care for Youth
18. Christian Living Word Life Fellowship
19. Christian New Life Association
20. Christian Prison Pastoral Association
21. City University of Hong Kong
22. Clothing Industry Training Authority
23. Community Synergy for Rehabilitation Association
24. The Chinese Manufactures’ Association of Hong Kong
25. Confucian Academy
26. Dawat-e Islami Hong Kong
27. Dream Possible
28. Evangelical Free Church of China
29. Friendship Society
30. Fullness Christian Vocational Training Centre Limited
31. Fung Ying Seen Koon
32. Good Shepherd Renewal Ministry
33. Hon Jor Sapientia Association
34. Hong Kong Academy of Play Therapy
35. Hong Kong Baptist University
36. Hong Kong Buddhist Library Limited
37. Hong Kong Christian Kun Sun Association Ltd
38. Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups
39. Hong Kong Metropolitan University
40. Hok Yau Club
41. International Classics Culture Association
42. International CICA Association of Esthetics
43. International Social Service Hong Kong Branch
44. Joy Tak Mildness Association
45. Khalsa Diwan (Sikh Temple) Hong Kong
46. Lay Prison Evangelical Organisation
47. Lingnan University
48. Lions Club of Tsuen Wan
49. Lions Clubs International District 303 - Hong Kong & Macau
50. Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon
51. Man Lan Intellectus Association  
52. Med Art
53. Merchants Support for Rehabilitated Offenders Committee Ltd.
54. Ming Toa Consillium Association
55. Mother of Good Counsel Parish
56. New Life Charitable Foundation Limited
57. Ohel Leah Synagogue
58. Operation Dawn Hong Kong  
59. Orthodox Church in Hong Kong
60. Phoenix Charitable Foundation
61. Po Leung Kuk
62. Pok Oi Hospital
63. Prisoners' Friends' Association
64. Rotary Club of Wanchai
65. Rotary International District 3450
66. Scout Association of Hong Kong
67. Shui Ting Scientia Association 
68. Sik Sik Yuen
69. Silence
70. Sisters of the Good Shepherd - China District
71. Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers
72. St. Augustine Youth Association
73. ST. Francis Church
74. St. John's Cathedral
75. St. Paul's Correspondence Association
76. St. Peter's Revival Association
77. ST. Stephen's Chapel
78. Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio
79. Teresa Confidence Association
80. The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
81. The Chinese Muslim Cultural & Fraternal Association
82. The Chinese University of Hong Kong
83. The Education University of Hong Kong
84. The Hong Kong Award for Young People
85. The Hong Kong Buddhist Association
86. The Hong Kong Child-Rity Association
87. The Hong Kong Girl Guides Association
88. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
89. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
90. The Incorporated Trustees of The Islamic Community Fund of HK
91. The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau
92. The Society of Rehabilitation & Crime Prevention, HK
93. The University of Hong Kong
94. The Warehouse Teenage club Ltd
95. Tien Shen Spes Association
96. Ting Toi Ching She
97. Tsz Shan Monastery
98. Tung Sin Tan
99. Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
100. Vocational Training Council
101. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
102. Wong Sing Pietas Association 
103. Wu Oi Christian Centre
104. Wuliang Shou Jing She Pure Land Buddhist Association of Hong Kong
105. Xavier Fellowship Association  
106. Xu Shan Charitable Foundation
107. YAMA FOUNDATION
108. Yan Chai Hospital
109. Yan Oi Tong
110. Youth Outreach
111. Yuen Yuen Institute
112. Zhao Rong Meekness Association
113. Zonta Club of Hong Kong
114. Zonta Club of Kowloon

Community Education

Apart from providing safe custody and rehabilitation programmes, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) has endeavoured to collaborate with educational institutions and community service organisations in order to proactively promote community education. We aim at helping young people develop positive values towards life and become responsible and law-abiding citizens with a view to reducing crime.

In September 2008, CSD launched the Rehabilitation Pioneer Project (RPP) targeting at youngsters. Through a series of activities such as Education Talks, Personal Encounter with Prisoners Scheme, Green Haven Scheme, Visits to Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum, Extended Training Camp, Student Forum, Drama and Music Performance of “Creation and Rehabilitation”, The Reflective Path, Summer Tour, Rehabilitation Pioneer Leaders, Mission in Prison, Rehabilitation Express and Captain Gor Union, CSD seeks to disseminate to young people the messages of safeguarding our country and home, leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation.

Enquiries

For more information, you can contact the CSD’s hotline at (852) 2511 3511 or email to email@csd.gov.hk.