The Correctional Services Bureau (DSC) said in its annual report yesterday that the number of inmates at the Coloane prison stood at 1,355 at the end of last year, 32 more than at the end of 2022, with 35 prisoners reintegrated back into society through the government’s “Employment Scheme for Prerelease Inmates”.
According to the report, of the total number of 1,355 inmates aged between 16 and 80, 1,087 were convicted prisoners, while the remaining were inmates on remand, most of them males, accounting for 84 and 80 percent respectively.
Same as last year, the report shows that the inmates’ academic qualifications were mostly junior secondary, with the largest number of inmates being mainlanders, followed by locals, standing at 595 and 474 respectively.
In terms of the kinds of crimes committed by the convicted inmates, the report noted, 343 of them were serving time for the trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances or drug trafficking, 335 for fraud and 307 for offences other than money laundering, membership of a triad or criminal organisation, homicide, and bribe-taking to commit an illegal or an legal act, or bribe-giving, with 38 of the convicted prisoners having been transferred to Hong Kong last year, the highest ever between 2006 and 2023.
The bureau reported that as of last year, 11 local male juvenile delinquents aged between 12 and 17 were being held at an education centre or education and training centre for offences such as sexual assault of children, sexual harassment, theft, bodily harm, and robbery.
According to the Macau Penal Code, criminal responsibility only applies to those of the age of 16 or above. Offenders under the age of 16 cannot be held criminally liable for their deeds. However, the authorities can impose extrajudicial measures on them such as educational supervision and social protection procedures.
Ex-inmates face a raft of barriers to employment after their release from prison, and in order to help them regain a positive outlook on life, the report noted, the bureau, in cooperation with various relevant public entities and non-profit-making organisations, provides diversified education and training for inmates in the light of the needs of the development of civil society. The report pointed out that a total of 41 inmates attended its secondary and primary level recurrent education programmes in the academic year 2022/2023, while 27 participated in a local higher diploma or tertiary level programme, and 19 took part in the distance learning programmes offered by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The report added that its vocational training programme in the fields of printing, metalwork, woodwork, craftwork, baking, laundry, engineering maintenance, plumbing and electrical maintenance, as well as kitchen and automotive maintenance were attended by 608 person-times last year; and 204 inmates received certificates upon their completion of training courses such as hairstyling, online start-ups, home electrical safety, electrical appliance installation and repairs.
The Correctional Services Bureau and the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) are cooperating in running the “Employment Scheme for Prerelease Inmates” programme, with the aim of encouraging community participation in support of social rehabilitation. According to the report, four online interview sessions were held last year, with 50 inmates then about to complete their prison terms having attended interviews for job vacancies offered by 10 companies such as clerks, cooks, air-conditioner installation and maintenance apprentices and truck drivers as well as food and beverage servers, of whom 35 had been hired by the end of last year.
This undated file photo taken from the Correctional Services Bureau (DSC) website shows its headquarters in Coloane.
