MONDAY, JULY 18, 1988
POLICE WORKING PARTY SET UP TO STUDY JUVENILE CRIME
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A WORKING PARTY, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, OPERATIONS, HAS BEEN SET UP TO STUDY JUVENILE CRIME ON A TERRITORY-WIDE BASIS.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE POLICE REGIONAL COM'IANDER, NEW TERRITORIES, MR RICHARD SMALLSHAW, WHEN HE ADDRESSED A DINNER MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES THIS (MONDAY) EVENING.
MR SMALLSHAW SAID THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE WORKING PARTY WERE "TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT WAYS AND MEANS TO COUNTER JUVENILE CRIME, IN THE SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG TERM THROUGH PREVENTION, DETECTION, AWARENESS AND PUBLICITY".
HE POINTED OUT THAT A TOTAL OF 3, 646 JUVENILE OFFENDERS WERE RECORDED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN 1987, REPRESENTING 47.4 PER CENT OF THE HONG KONG TOTAL.
CENT WERE
"OF THOSE ARRESTED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, 46.7 PER FOR SHOP THEFT, 14.8 PER CENT FOR OTHER TYPES OF THEFT AND MUCH THE SAME PERCENTAGE FOR ROBBERY AND BURGLARY," HE ADDED.
MR SMALLSHAW OPINED THAT THE CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS то JUVENILE CRIME, IN PARTICULAR IN REGARD TO SHOP THEFT, HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
"THESE INCLUDE INSUFFICIENT PARENTAL CONTROL, THE LACK OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS, THE GREAT TEMPTATION PUT INTO THE PATHS OF YOUNGSTERS, AS WELL AS THE NEED FOR A MORE ACTIVE ROLE BY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, HE SAID.
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HE POINTED OUT THAT SPECIFIC ACTION WAS BEING TAKEN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BY POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDERS THROUGH THEIR OWN DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES.
"THIS ACTION IS PRINCIPALLY TO INVOLVE MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES IN THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF JUVENILE CRIME AND TO SEEK A CO-ORDINATED SOLUTION.
OF
"THERE IS NO PANACEA BUT AN EARLY SOLUTION IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT JUVENILES OF TODAY DO NOT GROW UP INTO THE CRIMINALS TOMORROW, HE NOTED.
平平
ON THE POLICING OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR SMALLSHAW ADMITTED THAT KEEPING LAW AND ORDER IN THE REGION HAD ALWAYS HAD IT'S PROBLEMS AND, WITH A YEARLY INCREASE IN POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 100,000 PEOPLE, IT WAS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO KEEP PACE.
TO KEEP ABREAST WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, MR SMALLSHAW SAID THERE WAS A NEED TO INCREASE POLICE MANPOWER IN THE REGION.
"IN THE