}
:
2
2.
The provisions are aimed at stopping serious crime before
it can get underway. They make it an offence for a person loitering
in a public place, or the common parts of a building, not to provide
a satisfactory explanation when requested to do so.
3.
It is also an offence for a person to loiter in a public
place so as to cbstruct others or to cause others to be concerned for
their safety.
4.
The provisions thereby enable police to stop a suspect
who is loitering suspiciously in a public place and require him to
explain his behaviour.
5.
The Police believe the provisions are valuable in
preventing crime. It is impossible to show how many serious crimes
have been prevented by timely arrests on loitering charges but it is
a fact that about 18% of people arrested for loitering are
subsequently charged for more serious offences. The Folice cite 18
recent cases, in which 25 persons were initially arrested on
loitering charges, subsequent investigations led to further charges
in respect of 47 robberies, 23 burglaries, 9 rapes and 4 indecent
}