More access to education and vocational training would help with prisoners’ rehabilitation
In its 2020 annual review, the Correctional Services Department states its support for inmates to take public exams. It also offers access to vocational training programmes and e-learning material as part of its efforts in creative rehabilitation.
While Hong Kong’s recidivism rates have declined from 36.5 per cent in 2004 to 22.5 per cent in 2018, it is still difficult for former prisoners to find employment and reintegrate into our society. We believe that the government should reform its rehabilitation programme to benefit as many inmates as possible.
The department provides training and financial support for inmates to take a range of public exams, including the Diploma of Secondary Education for university admission.
The pass rate is impressive, at about 57 per cent last year. However, only 727 took public exams in 2016, just 8.4 per cent of the prison population; this has dropped even lower to 367, or 5.2 per cent, last year.
Further, while prisoners taking public exams is great for news headlines, government support for exams has a limited impact on the rehabilitation of the entire prisoner population.
To rehabilitate most prisoners, the government should strengthen its vocational training programme to enrol more participants. According to the Correctional Services Department website, the passing rate for vocational qualification examinations and trade tests has been around 97 per cent for the last four years. Yet, in response to our inquiry, the department says it does not track the number of inmates participating in the training programme.
Government policy also stipulates that only inmates who are due for discharge within 24 months are eligible for vocational training. This policy must be revised to ensure all inmates have the opportunity to develop practical skills.
With the advent of e-learning technologies, the department has also partnered with Hong Kong Metropolitan University to provide e-learning materials in 10 correctional institutions. Yet, no data is available as to how many inmates have benefited from the programme.
We urge the government to quantitatively and comprehensively review the training programmes and take a more holistic and inclusive approach to prisoner rehabilitation to meet the diverse needs of inmates.
Peiang Chang and Yuanqi Xiong, Kowloon Tong