The Correctional Services Department (CSD) has proposed an in-situ redevelopment of the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre's (LCKRC) Annex to solve the problem of aging facilities and overcrowding of the custodial environment, the Security Bureau said today.

In a statement responding to media enquiries on the redevelopment proposal, the bureau stressed that the project adopts the design principles of "fitness for purpose and no frills", in which the concepts of standardisation and simplification have been applied as far as possible in the design and construction arrangements.

The bureau pointed out that that the CSD is committed to providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment for persons in custody (PICs), adding that the LCKRC’s aging facilities and insufficient support infrastructure not only affects the custodial environment but also the PICs’ rehabilitation.

It said the various facilities proposed in the redevelopment project are based on the centre’s situation and actual operational needs.

The bureau also noted that the medical facilities in the correctional institutions ensure the PICs who are unwell can receive timely treatment and significantly reduce the security risks posed to the community during the transfer of PICs to and from public hospitals or clinics.

It explained that dental treatment within the institution is different from that provided in the community's public dental clinics. The treatment in the institution is provided by dentists from the Department of Health who visit periodically for consultations. PICs are processed and scheduled for treatment on a prioritised basis as with the general public.

The proposed dental treatment room in the redevelopment project is intended to replace the existing one, and PICs from other institutions can also be arranged to receive dental treatment in the LCKRC, the bureau added.

Regarding the provision of religious services in correctional institutions, the bureau explained that the arrangement aims to support PICs from the moral and spiritual perspectives. The proposed multipurpose religious service room is designed to enable members from various religious organisations to provide services to PICs with a view to supporting their rehabilitation.

As for the construction cost of the redevelopment project, the bureau revealed that it is approximately comparable to that of the redevelopment of the Tai Lam Centre for Women in 2011, when excluding the unique factors of the two projects and adjusting for price index changes. The unit price calculated based on the gross floor area is roughly the same for both projects.

The bureau emphasised that the redevelopment project will facilitate the modernisation of correctional facilities, thereby enhancing the management efficiency and security level as well as the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes implemented, which enables detainees to better integrate into society after leaving the institution.

It added that the improvement in the correctional officers’ working environment can also enhance their daily operational efficiency.