OVERCROWDING IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN A PERENNIAL PROBLEM. THE RATIO OF INMATES IN ENGLAND AND WALES IS APPROXIMATELY 72 PER 100,000 OF THE POPULATION, WHILE IN HONG KONG, THE FIGURE IS 182 PER 100,000. THIS REFLECTS NOT ONLY THE CRIME SITUATION IN HONG KONG, BUT ALSO THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO COMBAT IT, I.E., LONGER SENTENCES AND AN EMPHASIS ON INCARCERATION. STANLEY PRISON, HONG KONG'S ONLY MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTION, HAS ALWAYS BEEN GROSSLY OVERCROWDED. ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO ACCOMODATE 1,600 PRISONERS, THE POPULATION IN 1975 WAS 3,300. IN SPITE OF PROBLEMS OF OVERCROWDING, A WELL-TRAINED CORRECTIONS STAFF HAS MANAGED TO KEEP CONDITIONS HUMANE AND MINIMALLY VIOLENT IN HONG KONG PRISONS. THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO A POLICY OF FIRMNESS, CONSIDERATION, AND COMPLETE IMPARTIALITY IN DEALING WITH INMATES. THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERS 15 INSTITUTIONS UNDER FOUR DIFFERENT ORDINANCES. THESE ARE THE PRISONS, TRAINING CENTERS, DETENTION CENTERS, AND DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTERS. OFFENDERS ARE ASSIGNED TO INSTITUTIONS BASED ON THEIR NEEDS, PERSONALITY ASSESSMENTS, AND CRIMINAL HISTORIES. ALTHOUGH A FEW NEW PRISONS ARE BEING BUILT, THERE IS NO HOPE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE OF THE PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING BEING RESOLVED. INCREASED EMPHASIS UPON A WELL-TRAINED STAFF TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS ATTENDING OVERCROWDING IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL. IN THIS REGARD, 202 CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS HAVE BEEN RECRUITED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WITH 102 OF THEM HAVING AT LEAST ONE 'A' LEVEL QUALIFICATION AND 100 WITH A DIPLOMA OR COLLEGE DEGREE. PRERELEASE CENTERS AND HALFWAY HOUSES HAVE YET TO BE FULLY DEVELOPED. SO TOO HAVE PAROLE, PERIODIC DETENTION, AND OTHER SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)