NCJ Number
95583
Editor(s)
D Pickering
Date Published
1984
Length
185 pages
Annotation
This corrections conference for Asian and the Pacific countries focused on developing public awareness of corrections, new programs, youth offenders, drug offenders in prison, and prison health services.
Abstract
All 15 countries participating in the conference agreed that developing public awareness of corrections is important. Both New Zealand's and Hong Kong's corrections departments have press officers to inform employees and the public about corrections department policy and activities. While New Zealand does not always refute inaccurate press claims, Hong Kong replies to every media criticism. Both Tonga and the Republic of Korea encourage prison visits. Many countries are attempting inmate extradition and exchange programs. Due to the region's diversity, it is difficult to develop mutually acceptable programs for dealing with youth offenders. Papers on drug offenders and institutional drug abuse covered access to drugs from outside the prison, staff drug smuggling, and the treatment and rehabilitation of addicted inmates. In countries with public health services, it is often unnecessary for prisons to duplicate medical services that inmates can receive in local hospitals or from visiting health service doctors. However, in countries with large prison populations, such as Hong Kong, Japan, or Australia, the prisons have their own medical staff. Hong Kong treats mentally disturbed inmates in a 120-bed psychiatric hospital for offenders and a psychiatric observation unit in a maximum security institution. Tabular data are provided.