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The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, today (March 3) called on the community, particularly the business sector, to be more inclusive, offer rehabilitated offenders equal opportunities and support them to reintegrate into society so that they can lead self-reliant lives.
Mr Lee made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Rice Dumpling Production Project organised by the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong.
The project has combined the efforts of the private sector, non-governmental organisations and government departments in rendering assistance to facilitate rehabilitated offenders¡¦ smooth return to society.
¡§Helping offenders rehabilitate and return to society as law-abiding citizens is an indispensable part of correctional services, and fittingly a key service of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) in recent years. Through education, technical training and counselling services, CSD helps rehabilitated offenders boost their confidence, brush up their skills, and develop the right values to overcome the pressure and challenges that they face when they return to society,¡¨ Mr Lee said.
Although CSD strives to improve its rehabilitative services to equip rehabilitated offenders for a new life, the efforts of the Government and rehabilitated offenders are not enough as the success of rehabilitated offenders¡¦ return to the community also depends on the acceptance and support of society, he said.
Mr Lee said through community activities jointly organised with voluntary agencies, CSD endeavours to deepen public understanding of rehabilitated offenders, and eliminate misunderstanding and discrimination against them. It was hoped that more employers would accept them and offer them equal employment opportunities, allowing them to return to the job market by virtue of their academic qualifications, working experience, individual ability and work performance, so that they can lead a self-reliant life.
¡§In recent years, the increasing support and acceptance of rehabilitated offenders by the community, as well as rehabilitated offenders¡¦ growing confidence in returning to society, have been indicative of the success of the joint efforts by the Government and the community,¡¨ he said.
At present, over 60 non-governmental organisations and religious groups have joined with the CSD to provide services for rehabilitated offenders to facilitate their reintegration into society.
Ends/Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:50
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