Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre

The Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre is a government-run drug rehabilitation centre located on the island of Hei Ling Chau in Hong Kong. The Centre is operated by the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department and reserved for male detainees only. The current superintendent of the Centre is Or Suen-wai, Timothy.[1]

Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre
LocationHei Ling Chau, Hong Kong
Capacity672
Opened1975; 49 years ago (1975)
Managed byHong Kong Correctional Services
Country Hong Kong
Websitewww.csd.gov.hk

On 18 March 1994, the Centre was granted the use of all structures on the island of Hei Ling Chau which were not already in use by the existing correctional centres by order of the Secretary for Security under the Drug Addiction Treatment Centre (Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre) Order regulation.[2]

The Centre is part of the CSD's Compulsory Placement Programme, i.e. accepting detained persons convicted of offences under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.[3] As part of the government's monitoring procedures, the Centre receives fortnightly statutory visits from a Justice of the Peace.[4] The visits, unannounced, are for the purpose of safeguarding the rights of inmates by receiving complaints and making comments or suggestions. In 2017, one complaint was received, no suggestion or comment was made and the JPs made no requests or enquiries of the institution.[5]

Social engagement

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The Centre participates in educational programmes which aim to demonstrate the mechanisms of mandatory detention in Hong Kong, and issues involving substance abuse.[6]

Controversies

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In 1997, a report published by Human Rights Watch cited the Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre as being of a very low standard in terms of educational opportunities and resources available to its inmates.[7]

In an article published in 2016, the Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre was identified, among others, to be involved in a number of inmate abuse cases.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Directory of the Government of Hong Kong". Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre. Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Cap. 244C DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRE (HEI LING CHAU ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRE) ORDER". Hong Kong e-Legislation. Hong Kong Department of Justice. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Treatment and Rehabilitation". Community Drug Advisory Council. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. ^ "List of Institutions under Justices of the Peace Visit Programme". Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  5. ^ "2017 Annual Report on Justices of Peace Visits" (PDF). Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, Hong Kong Government.
  6. ^ "Students Visit Hei Ling Chau Correctional Institution". What’s Happening. Hong Kong Community College. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Prison Conditions in 1997". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  8. ^ Cheng, Kris (8 August 2017). "Lawmakers urge gov't to form independent investigation into alleged torture of juvenile inmates". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 June 2019.