Editorial | Justices of the peace play important role
- It is incumbent upon those institutions managing the visits to keep reinforcing the system so the basic rights of those in custody are taken care of appropriately
There are reasons why some colonial legacies are still preserved in Hong Kong. The visits to prisons and other custodian institutions by justices of the peace (JPs) are one of them. The arrangements may seem archaic today, but they provide an independent channel for the underprivileged to lodge complaints and help ensure their basic rights are safeguarded.
Credit goes to the Ombudsman for identifying inadequacies in a long-standing system that has been taken for granted. For instance, some institutions did not immediately announce that the JPs had arrived for a surprise visit. Some also failed to inform those in custody or hospitalised that they could request to meet the JPs in private.
Separately, the institutions usually prepare checklists on facilities, treatments and the like for JPs to examine, but some items may be too generalised and go unassessed in the end. There were also inconsistencies across departments regarding informing JPs and the complainants of the outcome of complaints, according to the report.
The existing some 1,800 JPs have more than honorary titles. Their primary role is to visit custodial sites and detained persons to ensure the rights of those in custody are safeguarded through a system of regular visits by trusted, independent people.