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MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1978
PLANS TO INCREASE NUMBER OF LAY PROSECUTORS
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THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT PLANS TO RECRUIT MORE LAY PROSECUTORS PENDING FINANCE COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL TO INCREASE THE PRESENT COMPLEMENT OF SIX TO 22.
THE LAY PROSECUTOR SCHEME STARTED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR WITH SIX +LAYMEN+ PROSECUTING AT THE WESTERN AND CAUSEWAY BAY MAGISTRACIES, A LEGAL DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED TODAY (MONDAY).
+THE ADDITIONAL PROSECUTORS WILL MEAN THAT WE CAN NOW ALSO COVER THE MAGISTRACIES AT SAN PO KONG AND NORTH KOWLOON, BRINGING TO FOUR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MAGISTRACIES WHICH WILL HAVE LAY PROSECUTORS HANDLING STRAIGHT-FORWARD CASES, HE SAID.
THE PILOT SCHEME, HE SAID, HAS PROVED SUCCESSFUL WITH EACH OF THE SIX LAY PROSECUTORS HANDLING ABOUT 70 CASES A MONTH. VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS HAVE MADE FAVOURABLE COMMENTS DURING ITS ONE-YEAR EXPERIMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE SCHEME WAS INITIALLY AIMED AT RELEASING VITAL POLICE MANPOWER FROM COURT DUTY TO ASSIST IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.
+ THE MAIN AJM, HOWEVER, IS TO HAVE ALL PROSECUTIONS AT THE MAGISTRACIES EVENTUALLY UNDER ONE ROOF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. IT IS THE RIGHT MOMENT FOR US TO HAVE THIS SERVICE EXTENDED TO OTHER MAGISTRACIES, HE SAID,
ALL NEW RECRUITS WILL RECEIVE SIX MONTHS COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING AT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT BEFORE DEPLOYMENT. THE TRAINING PROGRAMME INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS IN COURT PROCEDURES, LAW OF EVIDENCE, CRIMINAL LAW AND COURT ATTACHMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE THE POLICY OF ASSIGNING CROWN COUNSELS TO PROSECUTE IN MAGISTRACIES IN SERIOUS AND MORE COMPLICATED CASES.
TO COPE WITH THE PROPOSED EXPANSION, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS ALSO CONSIDER ING CREATING A POST OF SENIOR LAY PROSECUTOR WHO WILL ACT AS CO-ORDINATOR AND OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF ALL PROSECUTIONS AT THE MAGISTRACIES.
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