THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1986
THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL HAWKERS IN THE URBAN AREAS AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. SUCH LARGE-SCALE ILLEGAL HAWKING PROVIDES CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL FOR TRIAD ACTIVITY.
TRIADS OR GANGS ARE THOUGHT TO BE INVOLVED IN LEASING AND
AMONG THE GENERAL ALLOCATION OF ILLEGAL HAWKING SPACES, OTHER ACTIVITIES.
INFORMATION GATHERED BY THE WORKING GROUP SUGGESTED THAT TRIAD ACTIVITIES ARE ALSO TAKING PLACE IN FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION (FMO) WHOLESALE FISH MARKETS. THE MAIN PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE UNAUTHORISED ACCESS TO THE SORTING AREAS OF THE FISH MARKETS.
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FMO, WILL ACT ON, AND HAS ALREADY TAKEN ACTION IN MOST OF, THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE WORKING GROUP.
IN SQUATTER AREAS, PARTICULARLY IN KOWLOON EAST, THERE WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM OF TRIAD INVOLVEMENT IN THE ILLEGAL SUPPLY OF WATER AND ELECTRICITY, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDED THAT SUFFICIENT BASIC AMENITIES SUCH AS WATER AND ELECTRICITY SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN SQUATTER AREAS
TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF CRIMINAL EXPLOITATION OF THE SITUATION.
THE WORKING GROUP IS ALSO CONSIDERING SEVERAL PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO FACILITATE THE PROSECUTION OF ORGANISED CRIME INVOLVING TRIADS AND GANGS.
* THE WORKING GROUP ON YOUTH MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON A
RANGE OF ISSUES INCLUDING PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE POLICE SUPER INTENDENT'S DISCRETION SCHEME, THE SEPARATION OF YOUNG OFFENDERS FROM NON-OFFENDERS, AND THE SUGGESTION THAT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN PROBATION HOMES AND REFORMATORY SCHOOLS SHOULD BE RUN BY PROPERLY TRAINED TEACHERS.
THE WORKING GROUP IS ALSO CONSIDERING THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A YOUNG OFFENDER AUTHORITY BASICALLY TO ADVISE THE COURTS ON SENTENCING SO AS TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG OFFENDERS RECEIVE CONSISTENT TREATMENT AND THAT EACH YOUNG OFFENDER RECEIVES A SENTENCE MOST LIKELY TO REFORM HIM.
* THE RESEARCH SUB-COMMITTEE STUDIED A REPORT ON CRIME IN
PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE BUILDINGS AND ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE TENANTS IN CRIME.
THE REPORT SHOWED THAT THE RATES PER 100 000 POPULATION LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES FOR OFFENCES SUCH AS SERIOUS ASSAULT SNATCHING, TRAFFICKING IN DANGEROUS DRUGS, RAPE AND INDÉCENT ASSAULT WERE ALL HIGHER THAN THE RATES IN PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS.
/THE SUB-COMMITTEE
COMMIT