XN000022-1978-01-25 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1978

POLICE TO CONDUCT SURVEY ON UNREPORTED CRIME

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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE ARE EXPECTED TO CARRY OUT A SURVEY LATER THIS YEAR ON THE EXTENT OF UNREPORTED CRIME, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. KWAN KO STU-WAH IN THE · LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. DAVIES SAID PLANNING OF THE SURVEY WAS WELL ADVANCED.

HE ALSO REVEALED THE RESULTS OF THE CRIMINAL VICTIMISATION SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT FIGHT VIOLENT CRIME COMMITTEE LAST YEAR TO ASSESS PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS CRIME SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT AND TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN FIGHTING CRIME.

MR. DAVIES SAID IN THE SURVEY, 216 INCIDENTS OF ALLEGED CRIME IN TWO BROAD CATEGORIES OF +CRIME AGAINST PERSONS+ AND +CRIME AGAINST HOUSEHOLDS+ WERE CONSIDERED IN DETAIL BY THE SURVEY TEAM WHO HAD INTERVIEWED ABOUT 6,600 PEOPLE OVER 12 YEARS OF AGE IN 1,770 HOUSEHOLDS.

THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT PETTY THEFT AND PICKPOCKETING ACCOUNTED FOR 55 PER CENT OF THE ALLEGED CRIMES, ROBBERY 16 PER CENT AND PURSE SNATCHING 13 PER CENT.

IT ALSO SHOWED THAT 46 PER CENT OF THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED BETWEEN 6 A.M. AND 6 P.M. AND 32 PER CENT BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND MIDNIGHT.

THE LOSSES SUFFERED WERE USUALLY CASH AND IN 60 PER CENT OF THE INCIDENTS, THE LOSS WAS LESS THAN $200.

IT WAS CLAIMED BY THE RESPONDENTS IN THE SURVEY THAT ABOUT 85 PER CENT OF THESE ALLEGED CRIMES WERE NOT REPORTED AND THE REASONS FOR NOT REPORTING THEM WERE: INCONVENIENCE (33%) NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A REPORT (26%)- NO PROOF OF INCIDENT (12%) AND LOSS TOO INSIGNIFICANT (10%).

MR. DAVIES SAID A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE SURVEY BY THE DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE RESEARCH DESIGN WAS SIMILAR TO THAT EMPLOYED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY PROGRAMME, EXCEPT FOR TWO DEVIATIONS,

+THESE INVOLVE THE SAMPLING METHOD EMPLOYED AND THE ACCEPTANCE

OF ONLY SELECTED INCIDENTS OF CRIME FOR THE STUDY.

+THESE DEVIATIONS HAVE REDUCED THE VALUE OF THE SURVEY. IS ALSO PROBABLE THAT A PROPORTION OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED

ERE NOT CRIME AT ALL,+ HE SAID.

IT

MR. DAVIES