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* WOMEN AGED BETWEEN 20 AND 39 WERE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRIME AND IN PARTICULAR, HAD THE HIGHEST RISK R PES0AL CRIMES OF THEFT, WITH A VICTIMISATION RATE OF 5.9 PER CENT.

* PEOPLE LIVING IN TEMPORARY HOUSING HAD THE HIGHEST RISK OF

HOUSEHOLD CRIME, ESPECIALLY BURGLARY WITH A VICTIMISATION RATE OF 8.5 PER CENT.

* THE RISK FOR BOTH PERSONAL AND HOUSEHOLD CRIME INCREASED WITH

PERSONAL AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

THE SPOKESMAN CAUTIONED AGAINST COMPARING THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY WITH CRIME STATISTICS PUBLISHED BY THE POLICE. HE POINTED OUT SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES IN COVERAGE.

+A MAJOR DIFFERENCE ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT POLICE STATISTICS ARE DERIVED FROM REPORTS MADE BY THE PUBLIC, WHEREAS THE SURVEY DATA IS BASED ON VICTIMISATIONS WHICH ALSO INCLUDES CRIMES NOT REPORTED TO THE POLICE,+ HE SAID.

+PERSONAL CRIMES COVERED IN THE SURVEY RELATE ONLY TO PERSONS AGED 12 AND OVER WHEREAS POLICE STATISTICS INCLUDE CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS OF ANY AGE.

+MOREOVER THE SURVEY DOES NOT MEASURE SOME OFFENCES SUCH AS HOMICIDE, TRAFFICKING IN DANGEROUS DRUGS AND CRIMES AGAINST COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN POLICE STATISTICS.+

HE SAID THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE SURVEY WAS TO PROVIDE AN INSIGHT INTO THE IMPACT OF SELECTED CRIMES THAT WERE OF MAJOR CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

+IT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THOSE INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WITH INFORMATION, NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE, ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF CRIME, TO COMPLEMENT DATA ALREADY AVAILABLE AND PROVIDE AN INDEX OF CHANGES IN CRIME PATTERNS AND THE REPORTING BEHAVIOUR OF VICTIMS, HE SAID.

THE DATA OBTAINED FROM THIS AND THE FIRST SURVEY WILL ENABLE THE POLICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY AREAS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THE NEED AND PRECISE TIMING FOR FURTHER SURVEYS FROM WHICH TO CALIBRATE POLICE STATISTICS TO ASSESS MORE ACCURATELY CHANGES IN CRIME TRENDS WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE,+ HE SAID.

PRICED AT $16 THE REPORT IS ON SALE IN BOTH CHINESE AND ENGLISH VERSIONS AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE.

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