The International Human Rights Guide shows that corporal punishment has judicial sanction in 17 countries, the majority of which are either in the Middle East or Africa particulary in former British Colonies. The only South East Asian countries with judicial corporal punishment, aside from Hong Kong, are Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. A list of countries retaining judicial corporal punishment is at Annex E.
Conclusion
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The main argument in favour of corporal punishment is that it is a harsh deterrent, particularly for young people. The public instinctively favours its use, seeing it as a deterrent both for potential offenders and for offenders who, having received it, would be discouraged from breaking the law again.
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detention а
Against this the public consider
consider imprisonment and more effective deterrent than corporal punishment. Only 25% of respondents to the public opinion survey were aware that corporal punishment was a sentencing option. On this basis, it is difficult to see how corporal punishment can have a wide-ranging deterrent effect.
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If corporal punishment is
is removed as a sentencing option for
for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, it is likely
likely that the courts would rarely impose corporal punishment sentences. Clearly the courts perceive corporal punishment as unnecessary and outdated. practice is abhorrent to the international human rights community.
Corporal Punishment in Schools
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The
Under section 59 of the Education Regulations (Chapter 279), a school principal, or a teacher authorised by the principal, may administer corporal punishment with a light cane to boys. Girls are exempt from corporal punishment. Caning is also permitted in reformatory schools under section 12 of the Reformatory School Regulations (Chapter 225). The Fight Crime Committee has discussed the subject and asked the Education Department to conduct separate review of
punishment in schools and reformatory schools.
corporal
a
CONFIDENTIAL