Promoting rehabilitation: Secretary for Security Elsie Leung officiates at the Asian & Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators. Prison systems must seek to ensure that those who pass through are better people when they leave than when they enter, she told delegates.

Inmates must be properly prepared if they are to successfully face the challenge of reintegration into society, Secretary for Security Elsie Leung says.

Speaking at the Asian & Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators, Miss Leung said Hong Kong is fortunate to have in place a penal system which keeps inmates gainfully occupied, and which seeks to develop responsibility, teamwork and, perhaps most importantly, confidence.

While Hong Kong's Correctional Services Department was firmly wedded to the notion that punishment should be combined with rehabilitation wherever possible, she said the debate over whether punishment or rehabilitation best served the interests of the community was as old as the criminal justice system itself.

"Prison systems must surely seek to ensure that those who pass through are better people when they leave than when they enter, and are thus less of a threat to society," Miss Leung added.

Hong Kong hosts conference for third time

Welcoming the delegates as the host of this year's conference, Commissioner of Correctional Services Pang Sung-yuen said this was the third time the conference had taken place in Hong Kong.

Noting that Hong Kong had the honour of hosting the inaugural conference 23 years ago, Mr Pang said his department was privileged to contribute to its management by serving as the APCCA Fund Administrator, co-hosting the Conference Secretariat with the Singapore Prison Service, and taking up the role of Governing Board Chair for the current year.

"The department has benefited from the professional sharing and networking opportunities provided by the APCCA. We will continue to leverage on this regional forum in our best endeavour to achieve the department's vision of being an internationally acclaimed correctional service," Mr Pang said.

Conference runs until December 12

The agenda of the APCCA meetings from now until December 12 consists of national reports on contemporary issues in corrections; dealing with prisoners' complaints and grievances; promoting desirable prison officer culture and behaviour; and major prison disturbances: causes and responses.

There will also be workshops on "Prison Industry Partnerships" and "Training and Succession Planning for Senior Correctional Managers".