PUBLIC ORDER
to the Crimes Ordinance were also put before the Legislative Council to provide for legislative control on nuisances associated with prostitution. The introduction of organised crime legislation is being examined to combat organised crime syndicates more effectively.
The committee endorsed the proposal to abolish judicial corporal punishment in Hong Kong. Action is being taken to repeal all legislation giving the courts power to give sentences of corporal punishment. Extensive publicity was launched against triad and juvenile crime and on home security.
The problem of juvenile crime continued to receive the close attention of the committee. The Young Offender Assessment Panel continued to give advice to the courts on the correctional programmes most likely to reform convicted juveniles and young people. During the year, three rehabilitative courses at the Outward Bound School were arrang- ed for inmates of Correctional Services Department and Social Welfare Department institutions.
The development of the Integrated Law and Order Statistical System progressed smoothly in 1989. By integrating information on offences and offenders kept by the Police Force, the Judiciary, the Correctional Services and Social Welfare Departments, the system will provide comprehensive data on the criminal justice system and on recidivism. A mini- computer system was installed and computer programmes have been developed. Data collection, input and processing started early in 1989. Statistics on reported crimes and arrests are now available, while data on other aspects of the criminal justice system will be produced by phases starting from early 1990.
With advice from the Security Association, draft legislation is being prepared to replace the Watchmen Ordinance and to provide a framework for the regulation of the industry as a whole. Amendments to the Summary Offences Ordinance were enacted to provide better control over faulty burglar alarms, thereby saving police manpower and reducing noise nuisance.
The District Fight Crime Committees continued to play a vital role in the fight against crime at district level. They monitored the state of crime and law enforcement in the districts and helped foster community awareness of the need to prevent crime and community participation to combat crime. They also organised a large number of fight crime activities to complement the central government publicity campaigns and continued to maintain close links with the central committee.
Police Force
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The year was a particularly eventful one for the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the dominant features being the massive public demonstrations and processions in the wake of student pro-democracy events in China and escalating problems related to the ongoing Vietnamese boat people (VBP) issue.
Following the events on the mainland, the months of May and June saw processions and demonstrations on an unprecedented scale throughout the territory. The focal points of most of these processions and demonstrations were the New China News Agency (NCNA) building in Happy Valley and Government House. Mass rallies were held at Victoria Park, Chater Garden, the racecourse in Happy Valley and a number of other locations in Kowloon and the New Territories.
Although these public processions caused major traffic problems and considerable inconvenience to the public at large, they were generally well organised and, as a result of assistance from the police who deployed in large numbers to assist with crowd and traffic control, did not significantly affect public order.
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