Friendly chat: Commissioner of Correctional Services Pang Sung-yuen shares his thoughts with a radio programme host before his retirement in July.

Works on rebuilding Lo Wu Correctional Institution will start next year for completion in 2009 while improvements to other institutions, including the two on Chi Ma Wan, are being planned to ease overcrowding, Commissioner of Correctional Services Pang Sung-yuen says.

Speaking on a radio talk show, Mr Pang said prison overcrowding and staff cuts in the past years have piled pressure on staff. Noting the number of prisoners and inmates is expected to rise to 14,200 in 2024 from the existing 12,000, he said the capacity of Lo Wu Correctional Institution will be expanded to 1,400 places from the existing 200 places to cope with the growth. For Chi Sun and Chi Ma Wan Correctional Institutions, the total number of places will be doubled to about 1,600.

When asked whether the transfer of sentenced people will put pressure on local prisons, Mr Pang said the arrangement may boost to the number of prisoners and inmates here. However, the department does not see rejecting such applications as a way to ease prison overcrowding.

On gambling, Mr Pang noted there are several hundreds of cases on prisoners and inmates found gambling inside correctional institutions a year. He expected 30% of prisoners and inmates may gamble inside institutions, adding the department has sufficient measures to bring the situation under control.

Offenders' friend

Mr Pang, who will retire in July, said he has no plan to join the commercial sector at the moment. But he has decided to be a volunteer in offenders' rehabilitation.

Noting the rate of recidivism was 45% last year and has been on a downward trend, Mr Pang said rehabilitation services are worthwhile and can help lower Hong Kong's crime rate. He hopes his years of experience in correctional services and his network with people can help prisoners and inmates better reintegrate into society.

He also hopes his successor, who will be named in late June or early July, shares the same vision and mission as the staff so that the department's existing policies and work can be carried through.