Segregation policy rejected despite prison gang battles

Rival prison gangs will not be segregated, despite recent brawls between mainland and local inmates, security officials say.

However, the population at one prison has been drastically reduced in a bid to avoid problems.

'Our policy is to integrate, not to segregate,' a Correctional Services Department spokesman said.

But the transfer of more than 40 per cent of inmates from Ma Po Ping Prison on Lantau will be permanent, after fighting on December 28, with about 280 prisoners sent to Stanley, Shek Pik and Tong Fuk jails.

Shek Pik and Stanley prisons are now said to be 59 per cent overcrowded after accepting the prisoners from Ma Po Ping.

Tong Fuk is about three per cent over capacity.