XN000022-1983-10-05 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1983

21

DRUGS AMONG YOUTHS DISTURBING *****

THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN DRUGS IS DISTURBING, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE NUMBER OF YOUNG ADDICTS NEWLY REPORTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR WAS 589, AN INCREASE OF 55 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR,

+THEIR AVERAGE AGE WHEN THEY FIRST USED DRUGS WAS SIXTEEN-AND- A-HALF, HE SAID.

SEVERAL NEW COURSES OF ACTION RECOMMENDED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS WILL BE TAKEN TO COUNTER THIS TREND.

+GREATER EMPHASIS IS TO BE GIVEN TO PREVENTIVE EDUCATION IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS; SPECIAL ATTENTION IS TO BE PAID TO THE TREATMENT OF YOUNG FIRST-TIME ADDICTS AND TO THE IR AFTER-CARE; THE HELP OF PARENTS IN STEERING THEIR CHILDREN AWAY FROM DRUGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SOUGHT; AND EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND TO FOLLOW OTHER HEALTHY ACTIVITIES, HE SAID.

ON CRIME IN GENERAL, SIR EDWARD SAID 1983 WAS LIKELY TO SHOW A SLIGHT INCREASE IN CRIME OVER 1982.

+ON THE OTHER HAND, LAST YEAR'S WELCOME DOWNWARD TREND IN JUVENILE CRIME HAS CONTINUED.

+THE GOVERNMENT IS, HOWEVER, CONCERNED ABOUT THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF CRIMES, MANY OF A SERIOUS AND VIOLENT NATURE, BEING COMMITTED BY YOUNG MALES AGED BETWEEN 14 AND 20 YEARS.

+THEY REPRESENT ONLY ABOUT 15 PER CENT OF THE MALE POPULATION, BUT ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 31 PER CENT OF ALL MALE CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS BETWEEN 1980 AND 1982.

+THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE HAS THUS CHOSEN TO TARGET THE 1983-84 FIGHT CRIME CAMPAIGN AT YOUNG MALES IN THIS AGE GROUP, + HE SAID.

ON THE POLICE FORCE, THE GOVERNOR SAID RECRUITMENT HAD REMAINED SATISFACTORY AND TRAINING CONTINUED TO RECEIVE HIGH PRIORITY.

+A CRUCIAL FACTOR IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANY POLICE FORCE IS THE ABILITY TO DISSEMINATE ACCURATE INFORMATION QUICKLY SO THAT IT IS AVAILABLE TO POLICE OFFICERS ON THE GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,+ HE SAID.

+AN IMPROVED COMPUTER ASSISTED COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE IN OPERATION BY 1988,

+AN INTEGRATED RADIO SYSTEM FOR THE JOINT USE OF THE MARINE POLICE, ROYAL NAVY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH MARITIME SECURITY IS BEING SET UP, AND SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, + HE SAID.

/22