Professional Examinations
125. In May, the sixth annual Constable-to-Sergeant promotion examination was held. There were 3,279 candidates who sat at more than 40 centres throughout Hong Kong. A multiple-choice general paper was again used but for the first time marks were deducted for incorrect choices. This discouraged guessing and enhanced the discriminating value of the test. Results were computerized, and were better than in the past.
126. At inspectorate level the Standard I Professional Examination (a passing-out examination) was heid regularly at the Police Training School. The Standard II (confumation) examination was held in March and September while the Standard III (promotion-qualified) examination was held in July and November. Standard II results were reasonably satisfactory, but the results of Standard III were poor. The Senior Professional Examina- tion was held in January and July and results were very good.
127. During the year the decision was taken to combine the Standard III and the Senior Professional Exami- nations, with certain consequential syllabus changes. These were to come into effect on the 1st February, 1973.
Overseas Courses
128. Eight senior and 18 junior officers attended courses of instruction overseas, details of which are at Appendix 9.
Crime
CHAPTER 4
Crime and the Criminal Investigation Department
129. During the year, the total number of reports dealt with by the Police, excluding traffic offences, was 613,299, showing an increase of 34,770 reports compared with figures for the preceding year. Of the 613,299 reports dealt with, 262,843 disclosed no apparent offence. Reported offences, therefore, amounted to 350,456 as compared with 348,697 in 1971-72. A breakdown of these reports in the various categories, together with comparative figures for the previous four years, is shown at Appendix 10. Traffic offences statistics are given separateiy at Appendix 24.
130. The number of crimes recorded during the year showed an increase of 6.9 per cent over the preceding year's, and prosecutions of persons for crime numbered 14,777, a decrease of 2,376 persons or 13.9 per cent compared with those for 1971-72. Gambling and hawking offences increased by 1,636 (10.6 per cent), while, as a whole, miscellaneous offences (excluding traffic offences) totalled 297,070, showing a slight decrease of 3,357 or 1.1 per cent. There were 18,364 minor narcotic offences, an increase of 2,853 or 18.4 per cent compared with the previous year's.
131. An analysis of crime over the past five years on the basis of reports pur 100,000 population is also given at Appendix 10. Comparative tables showing cases of crime reported and detected, and juveniles and adults. prosecuted over the past two years, are given at Appendices 11 and 17 respectively. Miscellaneous Offences statistics are given at Appendix 22.
132. There were 34,975 cases of crime reported during the year, representing an increase of 2,262 cases or 6.9 per cent over the number the preceding year. Robberies increased by 2,807 cases, frauds by 330 cases, trafficking in dangerous drugs (Section 7) by 235 cases, other sexual offences by 223 cases, serious assaults by 221 cases, forgery and coinage by 205 cases, indecent assault on female by 189 cases, offences against public order by 159 cases and burglaries by 152 cases. Murder and manslaughter cases also recorded a rise of 25 cases. Of the 118 cases reported, 78 were detected at the end of the year. The 78 detected cases were dealt with as follows:
13 cases where the offenders were found to be dead or insane;
9 cases resulted in convictions for murder or justifiable homicide;
18 cases were convicted of manslaughter;
12 cases were acquitted or had Nolle Prosequi, entered; and 26 cases were pending trial at the end of the year.
133. A look at the figures over the past five years showed that while there has been an overall increase of 56.3 per cent in reported crimes, the number cleared up has risen by 9.8 per cent.
134. Of the 34,975 crimes investigated, 18,789 were detected, giving an overall detection rate of 53.7 per cent.
135. A total of 1,597 juveniles (i.e. persons under 16 years of age) were prosecuted for crime, compared with 1,645 for the preceding year, representing 10.8 per cent of the total number of persons prosecuted. This
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