The Advancement of Smart Prison Towards Data-Driven Management in the HKCSD (PID026)

2.30pm – 3.15pm ICT, 26 February 2025 ‐ 45 mins

Workshop Session

Since the Strategic Plan was formulated in 2018, the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department (HKCSD) has been actively developing the “Smart Prison” concept for process innovation and sustainable development through the application of technology and digitalisation.  Over the years, numerous innovative technology projects that enhance security, streamline operations and promote rehabilitation of persons in custody (PICs) have been developed under the “Smart Prison” concept at various correctional institutions.
With the advancement of technology, the limitations of siloed information technology (IT) and “Smart Prison” systems have become apparent while the need for systematic and continuous data collection among systems is rising.  Faced with the challenges of breaking the “bottlenecks” of integrating centralised operational systems into various Smart Prison systems as well as further developing Smart Prison systems in view of the restrictions imposed by ageing facilities, it is imperative to adopt a more integrated approach.  To advance towards enhancing digital and smart management, and leveraging the implementation of the Integrated Custodial and Rehabilitation Management System (iCRMS) in 2023 which forms the core of data collection and application within the Department, the HKCSD plans to develop future IT and “Smart Prison” systems in a more proactive and integrated approach for centralisation of data collection, application and analytics. Combining operational systems and IT systems to collect data on various aspects for analysis and application, the introduction of advanced analytic tools for predictive analysis based on the learned patterns can be achieved.  All in all, the implementation of “Smart Prison” systems and the launch of the iCRMS signify a milestone of the HKCSD and pave the way for the next phase of “Smart Prison”, namely the advancement of “Smart Prison” towards data-driven management and big data analysis.