The Hong Kong Correctional Services has recently started a pilot Video Legal Visit service following the success of the Video Visit Scheme for inmates and their friends and relatives introduced in April 2001.
Under the pilot scheme, a lawyer can make use of the visit centre in the High
Court in the central business district to meet with his inmate client detained
in the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, a major reception facility for male adult
remand inmates, through a video-conferencing system during office hours.
Facsimile machine with encryption function is available for the transmission of
documents between the lawyer and his client. The entire service is free of
charge.
Chief Officer (Penal Operations), Mr Kan Chi-keung, said that the Video Legal
Visit service was another example of the Department’s application of modern
technology to deliver customer-oriented services.
“The new service provides a convenient means for legal professionals to meet
with inmate clients in our custody. The response has been good as in the first
three months since its implementation in December last year, more than 100 such
visits have been arranged,” Mr Kan said.
“To the users, it is efficient and cost effective, not to mention the saving in
travelling time. As regards prison operations, the service would also save
operational cost in the longer run.”
It is expected that there would be a growing demand for the service and the
Department will consider expanding it subject to a review in the near future.
Caption:
An inmate at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre meets with his lawyer through the video-conferencing system.