*******************************************************

An inmates-parents centre was officially opened today (Wednesday) at the Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution for the enhancement of young offenders in the course of rehabilitation.

The centre has been set up with a generous donation of $3.19 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Over the years, the Trust has contributed over $7 million for the education and training of inmates and offenders. Funds have been provided for the acquisition of reference books for prisons' libraries, the setting up of a multi-media language laboratory and computer training centres at several correctional institutions as well as the establishment of the Prisoners' Education Trust Fund.

The Director of Charities and Corporate Secretariat of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr David P W Yau officiated at the opening ceremony of this centre which has now become one of the important facilities of the institution.

The centre is a single-storey building with a multi-purpose activities room, counselling service rooms as well as out-door facilities for holding various functions for inmates and their families.

Programmes to foster inmates-parents relationship include familiarisation visits, family counselling, discussion sessions and Inmates-Parents Day.

A spokesman for the Correctional Services Department said the centre provided the environment for fostering relation between young offenders and their families in the course of rehabilitation in preparation for reintegration into society.

He emphasised the establishment of trust between counselling staff and family, mutual understanding between inmates and their family members together with support and positive encouragement from family were a vital element in the rehabilitation of offenders.

Apart from the opening ceremony, Mr Yau also presented education certificates to some 37 inmates who took part in various public examinations.

They have achieved 52 distinctions and credits and 48 passes in Pitman Qualifications Examination, City and Guilds of London Institute Examination, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examination and other examinations.

The subjects taken included word processing, bookkeeping and accounting and food and beverages service.

Education and vocational training also played an important role in the rehabilitation process of offenders to better themselves for integration into society, the spokesman said.

End/Wednesday, March 3, 1999

NNNN