*********************************************************
The seminar on rehabilitation of sex offenders not only provided a useful platform for professionals in Hong Kong and neighbouring regions to explore effective strategies for management of sex offenders, but it also gave fresh impetus to the rehabilitation of sex offenders, Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Services (Rehabilitation), Mr. Lee Sheung said today (February 11).
Held in Hong Kong from February 9-11, the seminar, entitled "Opening up Vistas of Quality Services", was co-organised by the Correctional Services Department (CSD) and Caritas - Hong Kong with the aim of opening up quality services to enhance rehabilitation and management of sex offenders in Hong Kong.
More than 200 participants from government departments and non-government organisations from Singapore, Malaysia, Beijing, Guangdong, Guizhou, Macau and Hong Kong attended the seminar.
"With such multi-disciplinary and interactive participants sharing experience, the seminar bears fruit on the development of sex offender management and generates useful insights into the rehabilitation of offenders as a whole," Mr Lee said.
The Clinical Director of Vermont Treatment Programme for Sexual Abusers from Vermont Department of Corrections, USA, Mr Robert McGrath, was invited as the guest speaker. The renowned expert in rehabilitation of sex offenders gave an overview of international practices guiding rehabilitation and management of sex offenders. Other topics he spoke on included understanding the etiology of sexual offending; characteristics, prevention and treatment of sex offenders; as well as the multi-disciplinary approach to sex offender rehabilitation.
Guest of Honour for the seminar, Chairperson and Professor of Psychology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Department of Psychology Professor Fanny Cheung Mui-ching was pleased to see the remarkable achievement in the rehabilitative services for offenders provided by CSD in the past decade.
"While more public attention has been placed on the legal framework, the quality custodial and rehabilitative services for the treatment of sex offenders in correctional institutions as well as enhancement of support and services for sex offenders in the community are of paramount importance in building a safer and more inclusive society," Professor Cheung said.
Services for sex offenders from CSD and Caritas Community Support's project on development of sexual health were also introduced in the seminar.
Delegates from the Mainland and overseas will visit the Sex Offenders Evaluation and Treatment Unit of CSD's Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre tomorrow (February 12) to learn more about custodial and rehabilitative services here and exchange views with local correctional staff on best practices.
Ends/Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:01
NNNN