Project RADAR- a counselling and treatment program for young people with hidden drug abuse problems and drug-related criminal offences

Mr Man Ho, Wilson Chan1, Ms Siu Chui, Bob Lee1, Ms Tsz Ching Pang1, Mr  Siu Kei  Leung1, Ms Suk Fun Lai1, Professor  Fu Keung , Daniel  Wong2
1The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Youth Crime Prevention Centre, , 2University of Hong Kong , Department of Social Work and Social Administration ,

Initiated by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Youth Crime Prevention Center since 2016, Project RADAR is a territory-wide and evidence-based project that adopts Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) framework to provide crisis intervention, integrated assessment, individual counselling, and positive life skills training to young people, aged between 10 and 35, with hidden drug abuse problems and drug-related criminal offences. It also provides support services to their family members to enhance their mental well-being and problem-solving capacities. Through multi-disciplinary collaboration, a regular referral mechanism was established with police, hospitals, social welfare department, and other law enforcement agencies.

Project RADAR also collaborated with the University of Hong Kong to develop an assessment tool to assess the youths’ needs and risk level of committing drug-related offences and conduct an evaluation on the effectiveness of the intervention approach. Fifty-four youths with drug abuse and/or drug-related criminal offences were randomly assigned into two conditions, with 25 in the experimental condition (i.e. CBT) and 29 in the control arm (i.e. treatment as usual). Assessments were administered before and after the intervention. A series of ANCOVAs showed that participants in the CBT condition reported significantly less drug-related recidivism, lower frequencies of drug misuse, lower levels of pro-criminal attitudes and higher levels of cognitive-behavioural relapse coping strategies at post-intervention than those in the control condition. Therefore, the intervention approach launched by Project RADAR appear to be effective in decreasing drug abuse behaviours and drug-related criminal recidivism among Chinese youths in Hong Kong.


Biography:

Mr Chan Man-ho, Wilson, B.S.W (Hons), Postgraduate Dip. in Psychology, MSocS in Criminology, Accredited Mediator (Hong Kong/China), is currently Supervisor at The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Hong Kong, SAR. He is leading youth at-risk services and having 20 years’ experience on working with young offender, drug addict and delinquent youth. Wilson has a strong linkage with government and non-government organizations in Hong Kong, he is serving as member of Action Committee Against Narcotics for giving advises on anti-drugs issues. He has published books related to youth delinquency, violence, sexual crime, drug issue and cybercrime. Wilson has also been regularly interviewed by media on youth crime issues.

Ms Lee Siu-chui, Bob, is currently unit-in-charge at the Hong Kong Federation of youth Groups, Youth Crime Prevention Centre, Hong Kong, SAR. She has over 25 year’s social work practice experience working with family, children, delinquent youth, drug addict, and young offender. She is a member of Fight Crime Committee in Hong Kong. In addition, she is a social work field-work supervisor and registered as an Accredited Mediator in Hong Kong and China. Bob has published books on youth crime, youth law and drug addiction topics.