XN000022-1983-06-07 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1983

*COMMUNITY SERVICE PLANNED FOR CERTAIN OFFENDERS

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CHAN

PEOPLE CONVICTED OF CERTAIN OFFENCES MAY BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO CARRY OUT COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO IMPRISONMENT, ACCORDING TO A PROPOSED SCHEME PUBLISHED IN A REPORT TODAY.

UNDER COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, CONVICTED OFFENDERS MAY, WITH THEIR CONSENT, BE REQUIRED TO SERVE THEIR SENTENCE THROUGH SUCH WORK AS DECORATING OLD PEOPLES' HOMES, OR HELPING TO BUILD CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY BY MR F.K. HU CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION'S SUB-COMMITTEE WHICH LOOKED INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING SUCH COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS+, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JOHN GRIFFITHS, WHO IS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION.

OFFENCES SEEN AS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR SUCH ORDERS ARE THOSE INVOLVING AN ELEMENT OF ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, SUCH AS CRIMINAL DAMAGE AND LESS SERIOUS ASSAULTS, MR HU SAID.

AND THE LIKELY OFFENDER SUITABLE FOR AN ORDER WOULD BE BETWEEN 17 AND 30 YEARS OF AGE, FROM A SETTLED ADDRESS AND STABLE BACKGROUND, INCLUDING STABLE EMPLOYMENT.

+WHILE IT WILL BE UP TO THE COURTS TO EXERCISE THIS TYPE OF SENTENCING POWER, IT IS NOT ENVISAGED THAT IT WILL BE USED WHEN A FINE OR SUSPENDED SENTENCE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

IT IS DESIGNED TO KEEP A PERSON WHO IS CAPABLE OF REHABILITATION OUT OF PRISON, MR HU SAID.

SUCH AN OFFENDER WOULD ALSO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF FREE TIME, BE FIT AND ABLE, BUT LACKING IN SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. HE WOULD ALSO NOT BE A SOPHISTICATED OFFENDER, NOR A MENTALLY ILL PERSON. HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TOO LOW AN INTELLIGENCE NOR SHOULD HE HAVE A LOW THRESHOLD OF CONTROL,

SUCH AN ORDER, IT WAS EMPHASISED, WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR A PERSON ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.

IF APPROVED AS OUTLINED IN THE REPORT, THE SCHEME WOULD TAKE ABOUT ONE YEAR TO SET UP. PROBATION OFFICERS WOULD HAVE TO BE APPOINTED AND TRAINED, AS THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE OFFENDERS BEFORE SENTENCE IS PASSED AND FOR ALLOCATING THE WORK UNDER THE ORDERS.

A NUMBER OF BENEFITS OF SUCH A SYSTEM ARE SET OUT IN CHAPTER FIVE OF THE REPORT. AMONG THE BENEFITS INDICATED ARE THAT IT WOULD BE LESS COSTLY THAN IMPRISONMENT, AND WOULD NOT UNNECESSARILY DISRUPT THE FAMILY UNIT, OR SCHOOLING. IT COULD ALSO MEAN THAT EMPLOYMENT COULD BE RETAINED, AND THERE WOULD BE LESS DAMAGE TO SELF-ESTEEM. IF THE SCHEME, PROPOSED IN THE REPORT FOR CAUSEWAY BAY, SAN PO KONG, AND TSUEN WAN MAGISTRACIES IS SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL BE EXPANDED TO OTHER COURTS.

/IT WAS