CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read. 5.43 p.m.

The Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, male offenders between 16 and 21 years of age are at present sentenced upon conviction to detention in the Reformative Training Centre, for treatment and rehabilitation. Such offenders are detained in the Centre for a period of about 18 to 36 months. Subject to good behaviour during their period of reformative training and upon approval by the Board of Visiting Justices, the trainees are released conditionally and placed under the supervision of an Aftercare Officer from the Ministry of Social Affairs, until the expiration of four years from the date of the sentence.

Sir, Members will recall that we have introduced Day Release Schemes for drug addicts in 1979 and Criminal Law detainees in 1981. I am happy to inform the House that the results so far have been encouraging.

The Ministry of Home Affairs now proposes to introduce a Day Release Scheme for reformative trainees so that they can be attached to employers outside the Reformative Training Centre during their period of training. Under the Scheme, the Visiting Justices will periodically select trainees for training in blue-collar trades. Trainees, who have been in the Reformative Training Centre for one year and who have completed their three-month institutional training at the Centre, will then be released to work during the day but return to the Centre in the evenings. Those on good behaviour will be allowed to go home during the weekends after the first three months of such Day Release. After completing the initial three-month training at the Centre and on satisfactory completion of their nine-month on-the-job training under the Scheme, the detainees may also be released on supervision.

The proposed Day Release Scheme will equip the trainees with a skill which they can gainfully employ upon their eventual release and prepare them for such release. While working outside, they will receive market wages which will be credited to their POSB accounts. Should any of them misbehave, his leave for employment will be cancelled. It will be a test of their ability to stay away from trouble and to become law-abiding and responsible citizens.

To implement the Day Release Scheme for reformative trainees, it is necessary to amend Schedule D of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Bill now before the House seeks to do this.

The Bill also seeks to amend the proviso to subsection (1) of section 399 of the Criminal Procedure Code which relates to the fee payable for copies of proceedings furnished by the Courts. The present fee of 20 cents for each folio of 100 words with a minimum of $5 was fixed way back in 1937. It is now proposed to increase the fee to 50 cents for each folio of 100 words with a minimum of $10 or such other fee as may be fixed from time to time by the Minister.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Prof Jayakumar].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

Clauses 1 and 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 3 -

Mr Jeyaretnam: Sir, may I seek a clarification on clause 3?

The Chairman: Yes, please.

Mr Jeyaretnam: As I understand the Minister, this is to enable these persons detained at the Reformative Training Centre to be employed. Will they be given any discretion as to where they are to work, or will they be directed to places selected for them by the Superintendent or the Visiting Justices? Will they be given any discretion?

Prof. Jayakumar: Sir, my understanding of the matter is that, of course, the individual desires of the persons in the RTC will be taken into account. But the most important thing is the training to which they have shown an inclination to and which they have successfully completed in the institutional training phase of their stay in the RTC.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Just one more question. The Minister mentioned about blue-collar workers. I take it that this would not include the Building Construction Brigade. Will it or will it not?

Prof. Jayakumar: The Member for Anson should know that the Construction Brigade, as explained in press statements and other occasions, concerns persons in the national service. But here, we are talking about persons who are in RTC upon a court order, and the two instances are therefore quite different.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Therefore they would not be sent to the Construction Brigade.

Prof. Jayakumar: They would not be in the Construction Brigade but they may be employed by employers who may be in the Construction industry, which is a separate thing altogether.

Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.