XN000022-1983-04-27 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1983

HK'S CRIME DETECTION RATE HIGH BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ******

THE OVERALL CRIME DETECTION RATE IN HONG KONG IS HIGH BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND IN SOME AREAS IT IS VERY HIGH INDEED, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+FOR EXAMPLE, OF 24 CASES OF KIDNAPPING REPORTED TO THE POLICE IN THE THREE AND A QUARTER YEARS FROM JANUARY 1980 TO END MARCH 1983, THE POLICE SUCCESSFULLY DETECTED THOSE INVOLVED IN 23. AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPRISALS, SIR PHILIP SAID.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN ON THE CRIME ISSUE.

AS REGARDS THE RECENT KIDNAPPING CASE, HE SAID THE POLICE HAVE MADE SEVERAL ARRESTS ALREADY AS A RESULT OF INTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS AND THESE INVESTIGATIONS ARE STILL GOING ON.

HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SHORTLY BE SEEKING THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON HOW THE VARIOUS EFFORTS OF THE MANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PREVENTION OF CRIME CAN BE MADE, COLLECTIVELY, MORE EFFECTIVE,

HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS AWARE THAT THERE IS PUBLIC CONCERN AND EVEN ANXIETY ABOUT THE PRESENT STATE OF LAW AND ORDER, TRIGGERED PERHAPS BY SEVERAL MOST UNPLEASANT MURDER CASES, A SPATE OF ROBBERIES OF GOLDSMITH SHOPS AND THE RECENT HIGHLY ORGANISED KIDNAPPING CASE.

SIR PHILIP NOTED THAT THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CRIMES PER 100 000 OF THE POPULATION WAS 1 468 IN 19801 AN INCREASE OF 3.4 PER CENT WAS RECORDED IN 1981, AND A FURTHER INCREASE OF EIGHT PER CENT IN 1982.

IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1983, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 2.8 PER CENT OVER LAST YEAR'S CORRESPONDING PERIOD.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN TERMS OF VIOLENT CRIME PER 100 000 OF THE POPULATION THE PICTURE IS SLIGHTLY BETTER, VIOLENT CRIME BEING DEFINED TO INCLUDE MURDER, KIDNAPPING, ROBBERY, ARSON, BLACKMAIL AND RAPE.

THE NUMBER OF REPORTED VIOLENT CRIMES PER 100 000 OF THE POPULATION WAS 424 IN 1980: A DECREASE OF 5.8 PER CENT WAS RECORDED IN 1981, BUT THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE OF 7.6% IN

1982; AND IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1983, THERE WAS AN 1.CREASE

OF 5.5% OVER THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1982, HE SAID.

+SOME COMFORT CAN ALSO BE DERIVED FROM THE FIGURES FOR HOMICIDES AND FOR KIDNAPPING THERE WERE 86 HOMECIDES IN 1980, 105 IN 1981, 93 IN 1982 AND 18 IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1983 (ANNUALISED, THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 72).

/+THESE FIGURES