THE COURTS, POLICE, PRISONS AND RECORDS
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extremely well. The total strength of the Auxiliary Force on 31st December 1958 stood at 1,849 for all ranks, an increase of thirty two over the previous year.
A very valuable adjunct to the Police Force in the rural areas are Village Guards. They are selected and appointed by their own Village Councils, operate in and around their own villages, and serve as a very useful link between village Communities and the police.
Crime. The peak year for serious crime in Hong Kong was 1954, and since then a gradual reduction has been recorded. 1958 was no exception, and despite a steadily growing population, a very satisfactory decrease in reported crime was obtained. The detec- tion rate of crime also showed considerable improvement. The full statistics of serious crime are recorded at Appendix XVIII.
Much of the decrease in serious crime can be attributed to preventive action taken by the police against the Colony's criminal elements. An important aspect of this has been the sustained drive against the criminal secret societies, or Triads, members of which are responsible for much of the crime and vice in Hong Kong. In September alone, as part of a special sweep preceding the October 1st and 10th celebrations, nearly 1,000 members of Triad Societies were arrested and prosecuted. It is worthy of note that during October the number of preventable crimes committed was the lowest for many years.
Another feature of crime preventive work was the increase in Police Supervision applied to habitual criminals. At the end of the year over 5,000 persons were subject to Court Orders to report periodically to the police in order that a check on their activity could be maintained.
There was little change in the great volume of prosecutions undertaken in respect of crimes regarded as non-serious and minor breaches of the law although as the year progressed these too tended to decrease, due mainly to increased observance by the public of the many regulations necessary to maintain order in the densely populated urban areas of the Colony.
The police were assisted to no small extent in the prevention of crime and the apprehension of criminals by members of the public, in many cases at great personal risk to the persons