Chapter 16
Public Order
The law and order situation in Hong Kong remained stable in 2010. The overall crime rate (number of crimes per 100 000 population) fell by 2.9 per cent while the violent crime rate fell by 5.4 per cent compared to 2009. The overall crime detection rate was 42.8 per cent. Hong Kong retained its position as one of the safest cities in the world.
Fight Crime Committee
Established in 1973 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Fight Crime Committee (FCC) provides advice and recommendations on the prevention and reduction of crime, co-ordinates crime- fighting efforts and monitors their results.
In 2010, the FCC continued to monitor the overall crime situation and the trend of various types of commercial crime. It also kept under review the progress of the 'Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme', which serves as an alternative to prosecuting young offenders.
In addition, the FCC offered its views on the results of the 2008-09 Survey of Drug Use among Students and the Government's sustained anti-drug efforts. It also considered the results of the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po District and the way forward.
The Standing Committee on Young Offenders, a sub-committee under the FCC, monitored the trend of crimes involving juveniles and young persons. The sub- committee discussed factors which affect the involvement of juveniles and youths in crime and proposed preventive and remedial measures to tackle the problem.
During the year, the FCC launched a publicity campaign against shop theft and on-line crimes which increased in 2009. To complement the on-going territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse launched by the Administration since June 2008, the FCC continued to make the fight against youth drug abuse one of the three themes of the campaign.
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