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VIII.--CRIMINAL AND POLICE.
The total of all cases reported to the Police was 16,783 being a decrease of 789 or 4.4 per cent. as compared with 1924. There was in 1925 a decrease in serious offences of 738 or 16.4 per cent, as compared with the previous year. The number of serious offences reported was 365 below the average of the quinquennial period commencing with the year 1921. The number of minor offences reported shows a decrease of 48 as compared with 1924 and was 2,202 over the average of the quinquennial period.
The total strength of the Police Force in 1925 was Europeans 246, Indians 564, Chinese 945 making a total of 1,755 exclusive of the six superior officers and staff of clerks and coolies. These figures include police paid for by the railway and other Government departments. Of this force 15 Europeans, 39 Indians, and 153 Chinese were stationed in the New Territories during the year.
The District Watchmen Force, numbering 122, to which the Government contributes $2,000 per annum, was well supported by the Chinese during the year. These watchmen patrol the streets in the Chinese quarter of the City. They are placed on police beats and are supervised by the European police on section patrol. A detective branch of the force has done useful work under the supervision of a European Inspector.
The total number of persons committed to Victoria Gaol was 6,339 as compared with 7,382 in 1924. Of these 613 were committed for criminal offences against 1,644 in 1924. Of committals for non-criminal offences there were 51 more for hawking without a licence, and 24 less for unlawfully cutting trees, than in 1924.
The daily average of prisoners confined in the Gaol was 1,116 the average for 1924 being 1,066, and the highest previous average being 861 in 1923. The percentage of prisoners to population, according to the daily average of the former and the estimated number of the latter, was 0.13. The average percentage for the last ten years was 0.32. Owing, however, to the large floating population, which is constantly moving between the Colony and Chinese Territory, the percentage of crime to population does not convey an accurate idea of the comparative criminality of the residents of the Colony. The Victoria Gaol has accommodation for 700 prisoners including patients in Hospital. The Branch Prison at Laichikok has accommodation for 350 prisoners in association.
The prison discipline was satisfactory, the average of punishments per prisoner being 0.71 as compared with 0.43 in 1924 and 0.32 in 1923.
Long sentence prisoners serving two years and upwards are taught useful trades, including printing, book-binding, tin-smithing, mat-making, tailoring, carpentering, etc. The profit on the work done was $122,221.20 as against $121,664.20 in 1924. A sum of $3,758 was received and credited to Government for non-Government work as against $4,427 in 1924.