Services available to new arrivals and single parents

Women in prisons and girls’ home

1. Currently, CSD operates four female correctional institutions. As mentioned in the previous report, the overcrowding situation of female institutions has improved over the years. To alleviate the overcrowding situation and improve the facilities of a maximum security female correctional institution, the redevelopment of the relevant institution commenced in 2012 and was completed in January 2017. The total number of penal places for female inmates increased from 2 221 to 2 349. The following table shows the trend in female penal population –

Girls’ home

2. SWD has been providing various rehabilitation services, including residential training, for maladjusted children/juveniles and young offenders with the objective of helping them get back to the right track. To achieve service synergy, enable shared use of the facilities and provide a safe and healthy living environment, the Tuen Mun Children and Juvenile Home (TMCJH) was set up in March 2007 by co-locating six correctional and residential homes (including boys’ and girls’ homes) under SWD. The TMCJH is a multi-purpose residential complex serving as place of refuge, remand home, approved institution (probation home) and reformatory school for children/juveniles and young offenders in need of temporary care, protection, and/or custody. Services and programmes provided by the TMCJH include education and vocational training, individual counselling, group work programmes, parent-child programmes, community participation activities, recreational activities, medical and health care and clinical psychological service. In the past three years, about 90.5% girls in approved institution returned to schools or joined the workforce upon completing the residential training.