FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 1975
TOUGH LAWS AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY SUPPORTED
IN 2ND INTERIM REPORT ON SOCIAL CAUSES OF CRIME
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TOUGH LAWS AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY AND IMPROVED STANDARDS OF TV AND FILM CENSORSHIP ARE AMONG A NUMBER OF MEASURES RECEIVING SUPPORT IN THE SECOND INTERIM REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL CAUSES OF CRIME.
REFERRING TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE MASS MEDIA THE REPORT, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED TODAY, SAID THAT ALTHOUGH NO EVIDENCE WAS AVAILABLE OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PORNOGRAPHY AND OF EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE, SEX AND IRRESPONSIBLE CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT SHOWN ON TELEVISION AND FILMS, +WE SUPPORT THE VIEW THAT TOUGHER LAWS AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY AND HIGHER STANDARDS OF CENSORSHIP OF TELEVISION AND FILMS MUST BE INTRODUCED.+
HOWEVER, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS, THE SUB-COMMITTEE SAYS IT IS ALSO OF THE VIEW THAT THESE ARE DESIRABLE OBJECTIVES IN THEMSELVES AND THEREFORE NEED NOT BE ADVANCED AS A MEANS OF ENABLING A REDUCTION IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY.+
DEALING WITH TRIAD SOCIETIES AND VIOLENT CRIME. THE REPORT SAID THAT VICE IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS CAN BE DEEMED TO DE ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG.
+IT FOLLOWS THAT SOME CRIME SPRINGING FROM GANG CONTROL OF UNLAWFUL BUT SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GAMBLING COULD BE REDUCED BY CHANGING THE LAW.
THE SUB-COMMITTEE NOTED THE INFLUENCE OF TRIADS AT ALL LEVELS AND IN MOST SPHERES OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS INVOLVING VIOLENCE. THESE INCLUDE SUCH FIELDS AS GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, LOAN-SHARKING, PUBLIC TRANSPORT, PUBLIC HOUSING, PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT, COMMERCE AND PRISONS.
THE REPORT POINTS OUT THAT TRIADS ARE ALSO ACTIVE IN ORGANISING AND PROTECTING WHAT +ON THE FACE OF IT+ ARE PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE ENTERPRISES SUCH AS HAWKING AND OPERATING VARIOUS FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
+THESE, DUE TO THEIR COMPLEXITY AND CONGESTION OF OUR URBAN SOCIETY, TEND TO OVERFLOW INTO ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THUS ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AS A MEANS OF BRINGING ABOUT SOME SORT OF CONTROL AS WELL AS THE ATTENTIONS OF TRIAD SOCIETIES.+
TURNING TO AFTERCARE WORK, THE REPORT SAID THE SUB-COMMITTEE NOTED THE VARIOUS APPROACHES ADOPTED BY EACH OF THE THREE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING AFTERCARE SERVICE - THE POLICE, PRISONS AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS.
THE SUB-COMMITTEE CONCLUDES THAT THE EXISTING SERVICES HAVE PROVED VALUABLE AND SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AND WHERE POSSIBLE FURTHER DEVELOPED AND IMPROVED.
/AMONG OTHER .....