one body those units formerly known as the Hong Kong Special Constabulary and the Hong Kong Police Reserve, this Ordinance provides for the granting of retirement privileges which were enjoyed only by certain officers of the newly formed Auxiliary Police to officers who had retired with equivalent rank from either of the two former units.
(c) The Police Supervision (Amendment) Ordinance, 1959. This Ordinance, which was enacted to meet the need for improvements in the administration of the principal Ordinance of 1956, limits to a weekly period the frequency with which a supervisee may be required to report and makes provisions in respect of the loss of identification books by persons under supervision. It also makes any offence under the Ordinance an indictable offence and permits a Court or Magistrate to impose on a supervisee failing to report to the Police a further period of supervision. (d) The Vagrancy (Amendment) Ordinance, 1960. This Ordinance makes provision to increase the maximum prison sentences which may be imposed on mendicants in the event of third or subsequent convictions. This measure is intended to deter per- sistent professional beggars and to give the offenders, particularly those who are drug-addicts, an opportunity to benefit from the training and treatment now available in the prisons.
REVIEW OF CRIME
17. Preventive measures, including the continued drive against un- lawful secret societies, have resulted in a further reduction in the number of serious crimes from a total of 14,970 last year to 13,599 in 1959/60. A further reduction is again particularly noticeable in the number of Robberies and Larcenies from the Person, although an increase in the number of Breaking cases was recorded. The detection rate showed a further increase from 68% to 71%.
18. The number of juveniles arrested for serious crimes continued to increase; last year's figure of 6.6% of total arrests rising this year to 10%. This trend is reflected mainly in Pickpocket and Simple Larceny offences, and amongst juveniles under fourteen years of age from poor homes. There is no evidence of organized juvenile crime and this rise may be partially attributed to an increase in the juvenile population.
19. Drug addiction remains a dominant influence over criminal activity in the Colony. A survey conducted amongst prisoners in October 1959 revealed that 67% were self-declared addicts.
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