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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1984
REFERRING TO THE INVESTIGATIONS BY HIS CHAMBERS, MR THOMAS SAID THAT THEY HAD ALSO RESULTED IN RECOMMENDATIONS BEING MADE FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM.
+THESE ARE BEING PURSUED WITH THE POLICE, THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT AND OTHER RELEVANT PEOPLE AND BODIES, HE SAID.
HE WAS GRATEFUL, MR THOMAS SAID, TO MR JOHN MILLER, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE LAW SOCIETY'S SCHEME, MR HENRY LITTON, OF THE BAR, AND PROFESSOR PETER WILLOUGHBY FOR HAVING RAISED THE MATTER.
+ I HOPE THAT THE MISHAPS OF CHOI YUK-FAI WILL REMAIN UNIQUE AND EXCEPTIONAL, AND THAT HIS CASE HAS SERVED TO REMIND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROSECUTION PROCESS AND IN THE COURTS OF THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF PERSONAL LIBERTY,
MR THOMAS SAID.
NEW FORM OF PUNISHMENT PROPOSED ******
THE OBJECT OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS BILL 1984 WAS TO INTRODUCE INTO HONG KONG A NEW FORM OF PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS, FILLING A VACUUM BETWEEN A JAIL SENTENCE AND A PROBATION ORDER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+IT WILL GIVE THE COURT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THE OFFENDER HIS FREEDOM IF HE IS PREPARED INSTEAD DURING HIS LEISURE TIME TO DO UNPAID WORK THAT IS USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY,
+ IN THAT WAY, BY DISCIPLINED EFFORT UNDER SUPERVISION, HE WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO REHABILITATE HIMSELF AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS WRONGDOING IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY, MR THOMAS SAID, IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL.
THIS ADDITIONAL SENTENCING OPTION HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCED IN SUCH COUNTRIES AS BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
FOR THIS REASON, THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING IT INTO HONG KONG WAS REFERRED TO THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER 1991.
MR THOMAS SAID THE BILL INCORPORATED RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY
A SUB-COMMITTEE AND ACCEPTED BY THE COMMISSION.
HE MENTIONED, IN PARTICULAR, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED AS A PILOT SCHEME.
HE SAID THESE ORDERS WOULD ONLY BE MADE:
*FOR OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT WHERE THE
OFFENDER IS OVER 14 YEARS OF AGE.
WHERE HE