The Correctional Services Department on Monday admitted that the process of collecting urine samples from ex-prison inmates still depends highly on the "personal integrity" of officers involved.

The comment refers to a court case, in which three former correctional officers stand accused of swapping their own urine samples with those of former inmates. The prosecution alleges the practice was intended to create a false picture of the success rate for rehabilitating former inmates.

The department invited media to its drug test center in the Stanley Prison on Monday. Reporters were assured that the department had a system of checks and balances for monitoring correctional officers collecting urine samples and it will be fortified.

Lam Kwok-leung, assistant commissioner of correctional services (operations), said the procedure will include having an independent officer oversee the officer in charge of a case file, while urine samples are collected from the inmates. There will also be surprise inspections and irregular spot checks to add additional assurance of the integrity of the procedure, added Lam.

The court will hand down its verdict on Thursday in the case against the three ex-officers.

Lam refused to comment on the court case, but said a review on the check and balance system will also be conducted to see if increasing manpower or any other measures are needed.

According to the department, four groups of drugs can be tested in its five centers at different locations, including Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre, at which the three accused former officers were employed. The other three centers are Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, Shek Pik Prison and Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre. About 1,000 urine samples of current inmates and paroled convicts are tested daily in the five centers.

The ex-convicts' urine samples will be placed in a plastic bottle with a special design. The cap, identical to the one used on bottles of distilled water sold in the market, is different from the bottle used to collect the inmates'. The design aims at avoiding any alteration of a sample after it is collected. Any attempt to open the sample will be detected if the plastic collar clinging to the cap is found detached. Then, without proper explaination from the officer responsible for collecting the sample, it will be discarded.

The design was first adopted in January 2011. The department gave no reasons for changing the design. In the meantime, the department required the samples of the ex-convicts being handed to the center by the second day.

Lam said the department computerized the urine testing process in 2008 to avoid human contact or alteration.

Tsang Siu-ming, chief officer at the urine test center at the Stanley Prison, said if inmates have gone to court or to the hospital, there will be greater chance for them to be selected to take the drug test. Also, for inmates in the addiction treatment center, once they were out of the center to see a doctor or go to court, drug tests will be conducted upon their return, added Tsang.

stushadow@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 09/25/2012 page1)