Over the years Hong Kong has developed an internationally acclaimed correctional system, which places increasing emphasis on correction and rehabilitation of persons in custody. The Correctional Services Department (CSD) runs a comprehensive range of rehabilitation programmes targeting different types of persons in custody such as young offenders, drug dependants, first-time offenders and recidivists.
With an establishment of 6 899 staff, CSD manages 29 correctional facilities comprising correctional institutions, half-way houses and custodial wards of public hospitals. The correctional institutions include minimum, medium and maximum security prisons, a psychiatric centre and training, detention, rehabilitation and drug addiction treatment centres. Apart from 24 correctional institutions, there are three half-way houses and two custodial wards, which altogether accommodate about 8 800 persons. CSD also runs an extensive community-based supervision service with some 2 200 persons under active supervision at the end of 2014.
For the health of persons in custody, CSD actively supports the Government’s anti-smoking policy and promotes a no smoking culture among persons in custody through various anti-smoking measures including education, propaganda, counseling and organising smoking cessation courses. In addition to assigning Tung Tau Correctional Institution as the first "No Smoking Correctional Facility" on 1 January 2013, CSD assigned Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution as the second “No Smoking Correctional Facility” on 1 December 2014 to accommodate adult persons in custody who do not smoke.
To promote the conservation of precious resources and minimise pollution, CSD has all along been adopting the principles of environmental protection and caring for the community in its management to reduce food waste in penal institutions. In April 2013, CSD has implemented the “Waste No Food Scheme” in Lo Wu Correctional Institution (LWCI) to promote the culture of reducing waste and cherishing food for the support of environmental protection. Apart from saving food and reducing food waste, LWCI has also installed a food waste decomposing system to convert food waste into useful organic fertilisers. The scheme was later extended to Tai Lam Centre for Women, Nei Kwu Correctional Institution and the Elderly Unit of Tai Lam Correctional Institution.