Hong Kong inmates to get tablets in prison trial opening up new world of e-books, movies and skills
- Inmates serving long sentences chosen for ‘smart prison’ project, as part of their rehabilitation
- For those jailed before smartphones arrived, tablets offer glimpse of hi-tech life outside
Tony* remembers his black Motorola flip phone with an aerial sticking out at one end. In the 1990s, in India, it was the lightest, trendiest cellphone when others on the market were as big as a brick.
Then he landed behind bars in Hong Kong, sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. He was in his early 20s and had never used a computer, or sent an email.
Five months ago, the prison authorities gave him a tablet computer to use in his cell at night, allowing him access to almost 700 e-books, more than 20 songs, as well as games and rehabilitation videos.
Tony, now 46, was amazed.
“I knew about tablet computers from newspapers and TV, but never understood how they worked,” he said.
Initially, he was afraid of damaging the device and was unsure where to plug his earphones. “I have been in jail for more than two decades and feel a bit out of touch,” he said.
As part of a “smart prison” pilot project, the Correctional Services Department distributed 40 tablets to selected high-security inmates at Stanley Prison in January. All were serving long sentences of more than 12 years, and were chosen for their good behaviour.