Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Title | Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office |
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Title | Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office |
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Title | Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office |
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Release Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
- The last Superintendent of Victoria Prison, Mr. Law Hau-Leung, together with Mr. Lee Siu-On and the interviewer, toured around Victoria Prison explaining various parts of the prison and how it was functioned before its decommissioning in 2006. Mr Law joined the Prisons Department in 1974 as an Assistant Officer and had worked in Victoria Prison in 1975. Mr. Law returned to Victoria Prison in 2004 as Superintendent in charge of the prison. Mr Law retired in 2007.
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Law Hau Leung talks about his daily routines in the Reception Office
Law Hau Leung pointed out that the Reception Office in the 1970s did not have any subdivided units. People in custody on remand were brought to the prison by police, and squatted in line outside the Reception Office, awaited the prison staff to verify their identity and documents. Then they were brought into the Reception Room and waited sitting down on the benches inside, waiting for the admission and body check up. (Law also agreed with Lee Siu On that the Reception Office back in the days had cages, or subdivided units with metal gates.)
[Lee Siu On mentioned that before the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre opened in 1977, all the prisoners on remand would send to Victoria Prison. They all had to have a haircut after admission but such measure was cancelled in the later years, since then you could see prisoners on remand with all sort of hairstyle from long hair, short hair or gold dye.]The Reception Office was divided into two parts. Law was in charged of the prisoners on remand, while the other officer was responsible for the convicts. After the court ruled, the convicts would be given a number, which was permanent and would be reused if the offender was convicted again in the future. The new arrivals would have a haircut. After a 3-day induction period, the prison Classification Board (chaired by the Superintendent during Law’s time) would then assign them to different prisons to serve their time according to the duration of the sentence and if the convict was first time or repeat offender.
[Lee Siu On said the Reception Office was called the “the finger-print room” by the prison staff, some also translated it as the “Information Room”. It was called “the finger-print room” because the first thing the new arrivals (convicted or not) did was to give their fingerprint impression.]
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Player Go to Google Play/iTunes in case NO VLC apps was installed.
Date | 2010-12-15 |
Material Type | Video |
Collection | Victoria Prison |
Source | Hong Kong Memory Project Oral History Interview |
Repository | Hong Kong Memory Project |
Note to Copyright | Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project |
Accession No. | VP_LawHuaLeung01 |
- The last Superintendent of Victoria Prison, Mr. Law Hau-Leung, together with Mr. Lee Siu-On and the interviewer, toured around Victoria Prison explaining various parts of the prison and how it was functioned before its decommissioning in 2006. Mr Law joined the Prisons Department in 1974 as an Assistant Officer and had worked in Victoria Prison in 1975. Mr. Law returned to Victoria Prison in 2004 as Superintendent in charge of the prison. Mr Law retired in 2007.
Law Hau Leung talks about his work in Victoria Prison in his old office
Law Hau Leung joined the Prisons Department (now the Correctional Service Department) in 1973. A big prison riot was broken out in Stanley Prison that year and the Government appointed a special inquiry commitment led by a judge after the incident. The commitment’s report suggested the Prison Department did not have sufficient manpower, and thus, the government expanded the department by hiring more hands. Law took the chance to join the department. He knew little of the work of a Prisons Department Officer except managing prisoners’ daily routine and meals before joining the department since it had rather low transparency at that time.
Law Hau Leung served as the last Superintendent of Victoria Prison from April 2004 to March 2006. He suggested the prison was very special because it housed both male and female prisoners, which was different than other institutions. There were two types of inmates in Victoria Prison, the convicts and those breached the condition of stay. The convicts were mostly illegal immigrants from Mainland China and would be sent back to China after doing their time. 90% of the illegal immigrants were Southeast Asians from India and Pakistan, while the rest were Filipinos, Thai people, a few Europeans and Americans.
Law Hau Leung’s daily routine: He spent an hour in the morning to interview all the inmates who would soon be deported (there were around 200-300 people waiting to be deported during weekday and 400-500 before holiday). After the interviews, Law would do the paperwork. In-prison trial took place in the afternoon, against the inmates who broke the rules. Law acted as the judge and ran the trials following the Prison Rule. He gave judgment after listening to the prison staff and the offenders’ deposition. The charges were mainly petty offense such as small fights, disobeying staff’s order or being rude to the staff. As the inmates were already serving time in Victoria Prison, Law could not prolong their sentence, therefore the punishment were usually imprisonment in solitary for 2 to 3 days, which was quite linear. There were 500 to 600 inmates in Victoria Prison at that time, and there were 30 trials each month (1 case a day), which show that the discipline was not a serious problem.
Law Hau Leung talks about his daily routines in the Reception Office
Law Hau Leung pointed out that the Reception Office in the 1970s did not have any subdivided units. People in custody on remand were brought to the prison by police, and squatted in line outside the Reception Office, awaited the prison staff to verify their identity and documents. Then they were brought into the Reception Room and waited sitting down on the benches inside, waiting for the admission and body check up. (Law also agreed with Lee Siu On that the Reception Office back in the days had cages, or subdivided units with metal gates.)
[Lee Siu On mentioned that before the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre opened in 1977, all the prisoners on remand would send to Victoria Prison. They all had to have a haircut after admission but such measure was cancelled in the later years, since then you could see prisoners on remand with all sort of hairstyle from long hair, short hair or gold dye.]The Reception Office was divided into two parts. Law was in charged of the prisoners on remand, while the other officer was responsible for the convicts. After the court ruled, the convicts would be given a number, which was permanent and would be reused if the offender was convicted again in the future. The new arrivals would have a haircut. After a 3-day induction period, the prison Classification Board (chaired by the Superintendent during Law’s time) would then assign them to different prisons to serve their time according to the duration of the sentence and if the convict was first time or repeat offender.
[Lee Siu On said the Reception Office was called the “the finger-print room” by the prison staff, some also translated it as the “Information Room”. It was called “the finger-print room” because the first thing the new arrivals (convicted or not) did was to give their fingerprint impression.]