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regularly at intervals of about two weeks in the initial phase and at more lengthy intervals afterwards. There was also communication between the supervising probation officer and his mother whenever some change took place. The Prisoner had worked in five places during his supervision period, but all of them were cloth-weaving factories. He had chiefly changed for a more suitable shift. Three months before his probation order expired, the Prisoner dropped his factory employment all-together and assisted his parents in fish-hawking. One last note of the record showed that the Prisoner was "tired of night shift work" and that according to his mother, "KWOK was not attentive to the hawking business".
The Prisoner commented on his experience of being supervised. It was valuable to him in that he had learnt the disadvantages of mixing up with people of unlawful societies. He said he had tried his best to cooperate with the probation officer and taken his advice to build up new and proper relationships. However, he admitted that he was not successful in refraining completely from the companionship of his former friends of the triad society.
H.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRISONER
The Prisoner was apparently able to maintain a state of tranquility at our interview on 1.5.75 despite the fact that he still held negatively towards his present conviction and sentence. He did regret that he had submitted to the influence of his triad society associates but he alleged that there were practical difficulties for him to quit them completely or not to "show up" occasionally just to get safe for himself. He alleged that a few of those quitting from the triad society were identified, whether they were or not, as informers for the police and were persecuted. The Prisoner also stressed that he had tried to lead a new life after he was given a chance of probation in 1968. He said he had no undesirable habits.
I.
The Prisoner begged for clemency.
SUMMARY
Admittedly, the Prisoner was not for the first time known to the courts according to police records, he had two previous criminal convictions, one in 1961 (at the age of eleven) and the other in 1968 which was apparently more serious. He had also admitted to be rather active in gang activities before he was placed on probation in 1968. Triad society influence and pressure on him might be considered a leading factor in his criminal behaviour which was his chief weakness.
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According to the judgement of persons interviewed, nevertheless, the Prisoner was not maladjusted in personality or was he in any way considered delinquent-prone. He appeared to have well-balanced social habits and was a conscientious young man by the standards of his peers. He did have personal problems other than those posed by the unlawful associates, but they were chiefly linked with a half-conscious father. He was in general considered an important member of his family and an appreciable figure among his 'kai-fong' folks. His involvement in the offence might be due to momentary weakness yielding to a false sense of loyalty to triad groups.
(J. CHEANG Ming-dak)
Probation Officer
12.5.1975