published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Lai Hiu Wai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-72). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / List of Figures --- p.i / List of Tables --- p.ii / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction to the Study --- p.1 / Introduction --- p.1 / Profiles of Attendees in Support Groups --- p.5 / Investigating Drop-out and Attendance in Support Groups --- p.6 / Psychological and Relational Factors affecting Relapse and Gambling Behaviors --- p.7 / Motivation to Change --- p.7 / Cognitive evaluation of change --- p.9 / Emotional Effect of the Rock-bottom Experience --- p.9 / Relationship Influence --- p.10 / Religious Coping --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.14 / Participants --- p.14 / Demographics --- p.14 / Type of Gambling Activity --- p.15 / General Overview --- p.17 / Phase One --- p.18 / Demographics --- p.18 / Other Background Information --- p.18 / Gambling Behaviors --- p.18 / "Qualitative Session: ""Rock-bottom"" Experience" --- p.19 / Motivation to change --- p.19 / Pros and Cons of Changing --- p.20 / Negative Emotional Arousal --- p.20 / Emotional Social Support --- p.20 / Enabler and Helper Scale --- p.21 / "Religious, Spiritual, and Philosophical Beliefs" --- p.21 / Religious Observance --- p.22 / Higher Power Control --- p.23 / Phase Two --- p.23 / Participants --- p.23 / Self-stigma --- p.24 / Gambling Behaviors --- p.24 / Dropping Out Behaviors --- p.25 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Results --- p.26 / Rock-bottom Experience --- p.26 / The Profile --- p.30 / Rock-bottom Typology --- p.34 / Correlations with Rock-bottom Experience --- p.35 / Those Staying Longer in the Support Group --- p.39 / "Descriptives about Gambling Outcome, Attendance and Drop Out" --- p.46 / Concept of What Gambling Activities to Quit --- p.47 / Predicting Relapse and Gambling Expenditures --- p.47 / Predicting Attendance and Drop Out --- p.49 / Role of Self-stigma --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Discussion --- p.51 / Insights about the Gender Imbalance --- p.51 / Importance of Social Influence for Chinese Gamblers --- p.53 / The Chinese Gamblers' Rock-bottom Experience --- p.54 / Insights from Attendance and Drop-outs --- p.55 / Protective and Hindering Individual Factors in Successful Control of Gambling --- p.57 / Self-stigmatization --- p.58 / Hurdles and Future Directions in Gambling Research --- p.59 / References --- p.62 / Appendix --- p.73

published_or_final_version / Mental Health / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Social Service Management / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Risk and needs assessments are actuarial based instruments that aim to evaluate an (1) offender’s risks including the risk of reoffending, (2) criminogenic needs so they can be targeted in treatment and (3) offender responsivity inclusive of the learning style, motivation, abilities and strengths of the offender (Andrews, Bonta and Wormith, 2011, 735). Since 2006, looking to Western nations as exemplars, the HK Security Bureau’s policy initiatives have introduced a Risk and Needs Assessment Protocol for all local young offenders, and local adult offenders with sentences of two years and above. But one has to question how the policy transfer applies here in Hong Kong. What can Hong Kong’s criminal justice policy makers and practitioners adapt from research conducted in Canada and the United States? Is there anything HK officials can learn from other jurisdictions, both in terms of experiences implementing risk needs tools and the wider socio-cultural context under which such implementation takes place? This study has provided some preliminary answers to these questions through critical analysis and expert interviews. Subsequent analysis on the definition of risk and need under the HK CSD’s protocol outlined a further need for a definition of the responsivity principle. Concerns over the content of responsivity enhancement programs along with its effects on the voluntary participation of young offenders were also discussed in this analysis. Since the initial consultancy was commissioned by the CSD in 2002 to empirically develop and refine the protocol, a follow up study was much needed to suggest improvements. This study has served to fulfill this goal by suggesting improvements in addressing class, gender and racial disparity along with suggestions on operational excellence. Specifically, interviews with leading Canadian risk assessment experts including criminologists and practitioners highlighted four main challenges and three main lessons for HK CSD to examine (p. 57-58). Interviews with Hong Kong risk/needs assessment experts including criminologist and HK CSD practitioners help provide clarification on the risk/need assessment process and how rehabilitative programs operate. Additional analysis on the risk/need assessment instrument used in Hong Kong along with an examination of the questions used by assessors was subsequently conducted. The result challenges the CSD’s Risks and Needs Assessment and Management Protocol for Offenders as a “scientific and evidence based approach to prison management and offender rehabilitation” (CSD Booklet, 201, 3). This conclusion is based on the many social assumptions made on offenders found in the assessment tool and ambiguous design of questions used to evaluate criminogenic need. / published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences