about Victoria Prison (域多利監獄)

「域多利監獄」是香港第一所監獄，為中度設防的監獄，隸屬於懲教署之下。於1841年落成啟用。


與其他西方國家相比，香港的監獄改革是較遲和不顯著的。至1889年以前，歐籍犯人多被放逐至南非的好望角，1895年之前，判處死刑的人多公開執行，甚至交由志願者進行處決。


1932年，本港第二所監獄建成，位於荔枝角，是女子監獄，接收了域多利監獄的女犯人。1937年，域多利監獄隨著赤柱監獄的啟用而關閉。不足兩年，因赤柱監獄過於擠逼而要重開。早期，監獄由印籍警察看守及巡邏。有太平紳士不定期前往視察及接受犯人的投訴。

在1941年12月14日因太平洋戰爭而停止運作;而第二次世界大戰期間，日軍攻佔香港期間遭受轟炸，監獄內大部分建築物因受轟炸而嚴重損毀。香港重光後，進行修葺，至1946年6月26日才重新投入運作。

域多利監獄」監獄設於香港島中環荷李活道東段開首之奧卑利街16號，矗立斜路山腰上，是香港第一所監獄，可收容犯人額438名，亦是舊中區警署建築群及香港法定古蹟之一。



它是香港開埠初期最先以耐久物料建造的建築物，亦是英軍於上環水坑口登陸香港後，首憧興建的建築。它亦見證了香港開埠、二次世界大戰期間的一點一滴。



在赤柱監獄於1937年落成前，域多利監獄是香港早期的監獄體系、司法及執法的中心，並一直見證本港懲教制度的發展，直至2005年12月停止運作。監獄與中央警署及早期的中區裁判處毗鄰，彼此息息相關。疑犯被捕後帶到中央警署落案，然後解往裁判處審訊，定罪後便押往域多利監獄服刑。

近年，這監獄主要收押的犯人是非本地的、被釋放後會被遣返或將遞解出境的男女犯人,及非法入境者。


Victoria Prison (Chinese: 域多利監獄), or Victoria Gaol was Hong Kong's first prison. A testimony to the evolution of Hong Kong's correctional services, it had been the centre of the local prison system until it ceased operation in December 2005.

As part of the Central Police Station Compound, which also includes Central Police Station, Victoria Prison is a declared monument of Hong Kong. It is located on Old Bailey Street in Central on Hong Kong Island.

History
The Compound was built in 1841 and the Prison itself completed on 9 August 1841. It was originally known as the Victoria Gaol and is said to be the first western building constructed of durable material in Hong Kong. The Prison still retains the facade of Victorian architecture, having been built mostly of granite and brick. It is also the first prison in Hong Kong and an important part of Hong Kong's history.

During World War II, the prison was occupied by the Japanese and most of the buildings were damaged by bombing. The prison was re-opened for use in 1946 after restoration. When Hong Kong was later declared a port of first asylum for Vietnamese refugees, Victoria Prison became a transit and repatriation centre. It was subsequently developed into an institution with modern management facilities for accommodating discharged inmates of both sexes prior to repatriation or deportation.

Declared monuments on 8 September 1995, the prison together with the adjacent former Central Police Station and the former Central Magistracy forms an impressive group of historical architecture.

Before the establishment of Stanley Prison in 1937, Victoria Prison was the centre of justice and law enforcement of the colony in the early days.

In March 2006, it was officially decommissioned. The Hong Kong Government has not announced a full plan for the use of this very historical landmark.



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其他參考:

(1)“Prisons in Hong Kong”，1981，香港政府新聞處。

(2)陳謙：《香港舊事見聞錄》，28頁，中原出版社，1992年3月四版。

(3)章盛：《香港監獄真相》，33頁，天地圖書公司，1980。

(4)http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/news/show_news.cgi?ct=living&type=pic&date=2007-01-10&id=2308237

(5)http://cd1.emb.hkedcity.net/cd/projectlearning/tool/sub_file/web_demo/proj12/ULFile/200204270806343524/____.ppt

(6)http://www.amo.gov.hk/yfoh/b5/victoria_city.php