RIOT IN SINGAPORE BOYS' HOME

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Community Development (a) what was the cause of the recent riot in Singapore Boys' Home "A"; and (b) what measures have been taken to prevent such re-occurrences in the future.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: (a) Cause of Incident

On 17th December 1997, a group of boys fought in SBH `A'. This fight was a culmination of some unhappiness and personal conflicts amongst the boys over a few incidents, ie, verbal insults, complaints of kicking and spitting of some boys by others.

The fight took place just after the boys had finished their dinner and were assembling to return to their dormitories. It was triggered when one boy hit another boy and this escalated with other boys joining in the fight.

The Police was called in to help stop the fighting.

(b) Measures Taken to Prevent Such Occurrences in Future

The incident is regretted. On measures taken to prevent such recurrence, my Ministry is reviewing the management of the Home as well as its security. Since an earlier incident which took place in the Home, the Ministry has taken steps to upgrade the security of the Home. The measures include the installation of closed circuit cameras in all dormitories, a second layer of fencing creating a buffer zone and a distress call alarm to alert all staff. The Prisons Department is also assisting the Home to review its physical security and security management and conduct training courses for Home staff to better prepare them to deal with an increasingly difficult lot of residents.

Arising from the incident, the Ministry has also engaged the services of CISCO Police Officers to enhance the security of the Home. A distress alarm system has been installed to activate the Police in the event of an incident.

The present staffing ratio is inadequate and we are reviewing it to ensure more effective supervision and management of residents.

Comments

My Ministry together with the Ministry of Home Affairs is reviewing the current regime and the types of boys who are admitted into the Home. The profile of offenders admitted into SBH A' and our other juvenile institutions has changed particularly over the last three years. SBH A' continues to face an overcrowding problem with an increasing rate of admission. The current population of boys is more aggressive in nature.

50% of them have committed violent offences such as rioting, involuntarily causing hurt, robbery, assault, etc. Three years ago, the group constituted about 20%.

The premises of SBH A' are a century old and its premises have been encroached upon with the development of the Open University next to it. Current facilities and space are inadequate for the conduct of programmes and activities for the boys. Fortunately in 10 months' time, SBH A' will be moving into a new Boys' Complex in Jurong by the end of the year. The new Boys' Complex with better security features and better facilities will provide a better and more secure environment.