WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1976
+
AS FOR THE SHORT-TERM, A HIGHLY DESIRABLE AND IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE WAS TO ASSIGN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO REDUCE SHARPLY CRIMINAL TENDENCIES AND OTHER FORMS OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE, HE SAID.
+ IT IS A MATTER OF THE UTMOST URGENCY FOR GOVERNMENT TO EMBARK UPON A PLAN AIMED AT REACHING OUT TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR MIDST WHO FOR FAMILY, SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, OR OTHER REASONS, ARE POTENTIAL DELINQUENTS OR ARE ON THE BORDERLINE OF BECOMING YOUNG CRIMINALS, HE SAID.
A DIFFERENT RANGE OF SERVICES IS CALLED FOR. IT SHOULD:
* ENCOMPASS AND REACH OUT TO THE YOUTH GANGS THAT DOMINATE
AND INSTIL FEAR AT THE NUMEROUS BLACK SPOT' PLAY-GROUNDS, MAKE CONTACT WITH YOUTH GANGS LIVING IN THE OLDER HOUSING ESTATES BUT WHO ROAM THE STREETS OF URBAN AREAS SEEKING ACTION, QUICK THRILLS AND EASY MONEY,
*
* STRENGTHEN THE LINKS WITH THE AFTERCARE SERVICE OF THE
PRISONS DEPARTMENT,
*
*
*
SEEK OUT AND TRAIN VOLUNTEER GROUPS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO GIVE COUNSEL AND LOOK AFTER DELINQUENTS, RESEARCH INTO NEW TECHNIQUES AND PROGRAMMES TO BREAK
THE STRANGLEHOLD OF THE TRIAD MOVEMENT ON DELINQUENTS, AND RESEARCH INTO REASONS FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE OF YOUNG GIRLS FROM THEIR HOMES AND FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE THEIR NUMBER.
+UNLESS ACTION WITH FORESIGHT IS TAKEN NOW, THE RATE OF CRIME -- AND VIOLENT CRIME AT THAT WILL NOT COME DOWN BUT WILL WORSEN IN THE YEARS TO COME,+ HE SAID,
IN HIS REPLY, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY SAID THAT IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT ONLY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WAS INVOLVED IN DELINQUENCY AND THAT MOST YOUNGSTERS HAD IN THEM +A LATENT POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE SOCIETY AND IT IS THIS THAT MOST YOUTH SERVICES SEEK TO RELEASE. +
WHILE HE WOULD TRY TO STATE THE POSITION AS HE SAW IT. HE WARNED THAT THIS WAS AN AREA OF CONTROVERSY WHICH HAD NOT RECENTLY
• BEEN CRYSTALLISED IN A POLICY STATEMENT.
HE SAID THERE WERE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE TERM +COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT+ WHICH MR. CHEONG-LEEN HAD USED TO DESCRIBE THE SERVICES AIMED AT ENABLING YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME USEFUL CITIZENS.
→THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST SEES A NECESSITY TO ENABLE AN INDIVIDUAL TO FULFIL HIMSELF IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WHILE A LAYMAN THINKS IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO GET PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SAME BLOCK TO GET TOGETHER TO CLEAN THE STAIRS, HE SAID.
IT PROBABLY DID NOT MATTER WHICH WAS THE AIM FOR BOTH WERE WORTHY AIMS, HE CONTINUED, BUT IF SOCIAL FULFILMENT LED TO CONFLICT, THE QUESTION BECAME MORE DIFFICULT.
IN HONG KONG UNLIKE IN WESTERN CULTURES +CONFLICTS FADE OUT IN COMPROMISE, HE SAID.
/+WHEN