WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993
15
HK IS A SAFE CITY TO LIVE IN: S FOR S
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CITIES THE
HONG KONG REMAINS A VERY SAFE CITY, IN COMPARISON NOT ONLY WITH IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, BUT ALSO WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS IN REGION, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR
ASPREY SAID THE CURRENT CRIME RATE WAS NOT ONLY WELL BELOW THE LEVEL OF CRIME BETWEEN 1989 AND 1991, IT WAS MORE THAN 10 PER CENT LOWER THAN IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
THE RATE OF VIOLENT CRIME IS SIMILARLY WELL BELOW WHAT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, HE SAID, AT THE MOTION OF THANKS DEBATE.
IN PARTICULAR, THE POLICE HAVE ACHIEVED A SHARP REDUCTION IN RECENT YEARS IN THE NUMBER OF ARMED ROBBERIES AND THE NUMBER OF CAR THEFTS.
"THESE ARE REAL IMPROVEMENTS," HE SAID.
MR ASPREY SAID THEY WERE A RESULT OF AN INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE ON THE STREETS AND BETTER CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION ON CRIME.
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"BOTH HAVE PRODUCED ENCOURAGING RESULTS,' HE SAID.
THE SECRETARY SAID THE POLICE WAS AT PRESENT UP TO ITS FULL ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS.
IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE POLICE RECRUITED SOME 1,100 JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS, AS AGAINST 700 WHO LEFT THE FORCE; WASTAGE IS ABOUT 30 PER CENT LOWER THAN IN LAST YEAR.
CRIME.
BUT THERE REMAIN AREAS OF CONCERN. ONE OF THESE IS JUVENILE
THE JUVENILE OFFENDER RATE INCREASED SLIGHTLY IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.
MR ASPREY SAID A WORKING GROUP UNDER THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE HAD PROPOSED MEASURES TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF TRIAD INFLUENCE IN SCHOOLS..
THESE MEASURES INCLUDE INCREASING THE POLICE PRESENCE NEAR SCHOOLS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AND IMPROVING LIAISON BETWEEN THE POLICE, TEACHERS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.
THE
WORKING GROUP HAS JUST SUBMITTED ITS FINAL REPORT TO THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, HE SAID.
ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE BY YOUNGSTERS.
IN THE FIRST HALF OF LAST YEAR, THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE RECEIVED REPORTS ON 923 DRUG ABUSERS AGED UNDER 21.
IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 1,0
,614 YOUNG DRUG ABUSERS WERE REPORTED.
HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT THE NUMBER OF YOUNG DRUG ABUSERS REPORTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR REPRESENTED JUST 0.2 PER CENT OF THE HONG KONG POPULATION AGED BETWEEN 11 AND 20.
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