a
considerable
amount cong
After all our research the
Department here produced a draft letter
only to advise that
on the subject
we do not send it. The reasons,
briefly, are set out below:-
you
from- dony
I. The concept of suspended sentences
II.
is that the convicted person
does not go to prison at all,
the Courts suspending the sentence
at the time it is pronounced.
The release of prisoners on
licence has been associated both
here and in the colonies with
the problem of long-term habitual
offenders and recidivists serving
periods of preventive detention.
III. Hong Kong could not introduce
either measure for use merely
when it may be expedient to
release "political" prisoners
or not send them to prison.
The measures would have to be
introduced as a comprehensive
step forward in the treatment
of offenders. This would be a
radical step forward and timing
is important. Other territories
would also have to be invited to
WA
/consider
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