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Front-Line Staff Visit Hong Kong

By Lawrence Kwok, Associate Warden, Regional Reception Centre, Pacific Region, and Deann Bourgeois, Correctional Officer, Grand Valley Institution
(August 2001)

Following are the accounts of two Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) front-line staff who accompanied senior managers on the February 2001 trip to Hong Kong. During the many hours they spent with Hong Kong Correctional Service (HKCS) employees, they discovered that they had much in common with their counterparts and returned to Canada with a broader understanding of corrections.

LAWRENCE KWOK
The purpose of this visit, aside from promoting the understanding of culture between the two countries, was to share and exchange knowledge and experience about corrections. While in Hong Kong, the Solicitor General of Canada and the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Security and the Commissioner of Hong Kong Corrections that ensures an ongoing exchange of ideas and knowledge, values and experience between CSC and the Hong Kong Correctional Service (HKCS).

Hong Kong is situated on the south coast of China's Kwangtung province. It was leased to Britain on a 99-year lease which expired in 1997; the land has since been returned to China. The total land area in Hong Kong is 404 square miles with a population of 750 million. As such, land is at a premium and very expensive.

Our agenda was twofold: visits to correctional institutions in Hong Kong and Macau and participating in discussion groups and workshops with the line staff. Treatment and training programs have been developed for different types of offenders such as young offenders, drug addicts, first offenders and repeat offenders. HKCS categorizes inmates into three categories: A, B and C. The availability of rehabilitation program(s) and release potential is enhanced according to the categorization of each offender.

In Hong Kong, the team visited Shek Pik Prison (maximum security), Pak Sha Wan Prison (medium security) and Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution (female offenders under age 21). After visiting the prisons and institutions in Hong Kong, the one thing that stood out and impressed the team was the level of discipline amongst both staff and offenders. Junior staff are required to salute senior staff, and during a visit by an officer, offenders are required to stop what they are doing and stand up as a way of showing respect to the visiting officer.

Macau, known for its casinos and gambling activities, is an overseas province of Portugal, situated on the south China coast, opposite Hong Kong. To get there, the delegation took a 45-minute hydrofoil trip. Macau has recently been returned to China by the Portuguese government (1999). Similar to the situation in Hong Kong, the Chinese government has since declared Macau a Special Administrative Region. Hence, the penal system in Macau is still based on Portugal's model.

There is only one prison in Macau, serving a population of approximately 250,000. There is no life sentence under the Portuguese system, and the longest period an offender can serve is 28 years.

The work program is the main core program within the institution. The inside operation of the prison is run by institutional staff whereas the perimeter security is contracted out to Gurkha soldiers from Nepal who are in the British or Indian army. Literacy among the offender population in Macau prison is low and educational upgrading is one of the main programs, as is vocational training. The majority of offenders serve two thirds of their sentence prior to release.

The CSC visit to Hong Kong was a success. We had ample opportunity to observe how the operational staff in Hong Kong Corrections conduct their daily duties and then to engage them in discussion, sharing ideas, knowledge and practices on operational issues. The Hong Kong Correctional staff are warm, friendly and very enthusiastic in group discussion. This visit not only promoted understanding between cultures, but also strengthened professional ties between the two services.

DEANN BOURGEOIS
Being selected as the correctional officer representative on the CSC trip to Hong Kong last February was both an honour and a privilege. Before leaving, my colleagues at Grand Valley Institution were very supportive and excited for me; I felt like I was not going alone, but carrying with me the good wishes and support of all the wonderful people I work with.

Upon our arrival in Hong Kong, we were met at the airport by the Commissioner of Hong Kong Corrections, Mr. Ng Ching-Kwok, along with a delegation of his staff. We were driven to the guesthouse in the city of Stanley and given a few moments to freshen up before dinner. I was seated next to Mr. Ng throughout dinner and he proved to be a very warm and gracious host. When he heard that I didn't get a chance to phone my daughter to say I had arrived safely, he immediately produced a cell phone, placed a call to my daughter and handed the phone to me.

While in Hong Kong, I was given the opportunity to share operational experience with correctional officers and to observe how they carry out their duties. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences between the two services. In the Hong Kong Correctional Service, there is a clearly identified rank structure much like our military. When I walked through the staff training institute, new recruits snapped to attention and saluted us. I kept thinking, "If you only knew how close in rank I am to you - CX 2," and then I'd smile to myself.

Many Hong Kong correctional officers live next door to their institutions. These subsidized accommodations are greatly sought after due to the high cost of housing on the island. Recruit training in Hong Kong lasts six months instead of 10 weeks as in Canada. Inmates must work six days a week. The HKCS philosophy is "Inmates who are purposefully and productively employed reduce the risk of unrest through boredom and lack of constructive activities." An inmate's security classification is based solely on his offence.

The HKCS is similar to our Service in many ways. Their mission statement reads: "As an integral part of the Hong Kong criminal justice system, the Correctional Service is committed: to serve the community by providing high quality and cost- effective custodial and rehabilitative services in which the public can be confident and the staff take pride; to detain persons committed to our custody in a manner which is secure to the public, safe for inmates and compatible with human dignity; to provide the best possible opportunity for all inmates to make a new start in life by offering timely, apt and comprehensive rehabilitation programs." If you compare this to our mission statement, the similarities are striking.

Our itinerary while in Hong Kong was extremely full. In addition to touring institutions and attending official functions, I also participated in and helped facilitate numerous workshops with Mr. Lawrence Kwok. These provided an excellent opportunity to share best practices and to informally learn from one another. On many occasions, we turned off the overheads and simply shared ideas and talked. This was probably the best part of the trip for me, to be able to speak with correctional staff from half way around the world and realize we are very much alike. This exchange not only strengthened the professional ties between the two services, it also enabled us to see each other as colleagues and friends working towards a common goal.

We did have some free time while in Hong Kong to sightsee; the staff were very helpful in arranging some excellent shopping trips and tours. The HKCS was extremely thoughtful in arranging our accommodations, meals and ensuring that no detail went unattended.