THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1975
MORE PEOPLE REPORT CRIME
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AS A RESULT OF VARIOUS EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES, A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CRIME IS NOW BEING REPORTED, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SO, HE ADDED, THE CRIME STATISTICS +DO REFLECT MORE EXACTLY WHAT THE LEVEL OF CRIME IS, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PICTURE WHICH THEY GIVE IS BECOMING STEADILY MORE ACCURATE THANKS TO THE VERY WELCOME INCREASED PUBLIC WILLINGNESS TO REPORT CRIME.+
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MR. DAVIES WAS REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE HON. PETER C. WONG.
ON THE SUGGESTION MADE BY REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT THAT ALL STATEMENTS MADE TO THE POLICE SHOULD BE TAPED, MR. DAVIES SAID AT FIRST SIGHT, IT SEEMED TO BE ATTRACTIVE,
IT WAS EXAMINED BOTH HERE AND BY THE HOME OFFICE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM A LITTLE TIME AGO, HE SAID. BUT IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT SUCH A PROCEDURE FOR ALL STATEMENTS WAS NOT PRACTICABLE.
+APART FROM THE VERY CONSIDERABLE LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS ANY SYSTEM OF RECORDING SOME INTERVIEWS, BUT NOT OTHERS, WOULD BE UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF IMPORTANT ORAL ADMISSIONS WHICH ARE, AT PRESENT, GIVEN IN EVIDENCE WOULD REMAIN UNRECORDED: TO THIS EXTENT THE WHOLE OBJECT OF THE SYSTEM WOULD BE FRUSTRATED, +HE POINTED OUT.
+ IN ADDITION THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME SYSTEM FOR EXCLUDING FROM RECORDINGS PLAYED OVER IN COURT ALL INADMISSABLE, AND, IF POSSIBLE, ANY CLEARLY IRRELEVANT MATERIAL.
+THIS WOULD MEAN EDITING THE TAPES AND AS A RESULT CAST SUSPICION ON THEIR VERACITY. THIS APART THERE WOULD BE NO MEANS OF ENSURING THE WHOLE OF EVERY RECORDING WAS ACCEPTED BY THE COURT AS AUTHENTIC.
+UNFORTUNATELY NO WAY ROUND THESE VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES PRESENTS ITSELF. FOR THIS REASON WE SEE NO MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING SUCH A SCHEME.+
REGARDING THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN'S CONCERN OVER THE PRESENT CRIME REPORTING PROCEDURE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY SAID UNHAPPILY THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN INDIVIDUALS GET FRUSTRATED BY THE RESPONSE FROM THE +999+ SYSTEM.
/+BUT IN