XN000022-1985-06-04 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1985

HONG KONG CRIME RATE COMPARATIVELY LOW

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HONG KONG HAS A LOW CRIME RATE COMPARED WITH MANY OTHER MAJOR

CITIES.

THIS WAS REVEALED IN THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE'S FOURTH SIX- MONTHLY REPORT, COVERING THE PERIOD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1984 AND APRIL THIS YEAR, THE REPORT HAS JUST BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, SIR PHILIP HADDON- CAVE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY):

+HONG KONG IS A CROWDED, DYNAMIC AND RELATIVELY WEALTHY SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO ITS IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURS. THESE AND OTHER FACTORS ATTRACT CRIME WHICH BECAUSE OF THE CROWDED HIGH-RISE ENVIRONMENT IS OFTEN VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT SUCCESSFULLY AND TO PREVENT.

*THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER REMAIN A VERY HIGH PRIORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

+WHILE NOBODY WOULD DENY THAT CRIME LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH THEY SHOULD NOT BE SENSATIONALISED OR EXAGGERATED AS FAR AS BIG CITIES ARE CONCERNED, HONG KONG IS A RELATIVELY SAFE PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE.+

IT WAS ALSO NOTED IN THE NO. 4 REPORT THAT THE LEVEL OF OVERALL REPORTED CRIME WAS 2.9 PER CENT LESS IN 1984 THAN IN 1983, THE FIRST TIME THAT A DECREASE IN ANNUAL CRIME STATISTICS HAD BEEN RECORDED SINCE 1977.

OF PARTICULAR NOTE WAS THE DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, PARTICULARLY ROBBERIES, AND IN THEFTS FROM VEHICLES AND THEFTS OF VEHICLES. BUT THERE WAS AN APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN BURGLARIES, ROUGHLY A QUARTER OF WHICH WERE IN RESPECT OF FLATS LEFT UNLOCKED. THE FIGHT CRIME PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN PLANNED FOR 1985/86 WILL CONCENTRATE IN PART ON PROTECTION AGAINST BURGLARIES.

APART FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MEMBERSHIP OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF FOUR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, DR HO KAM-FAI, MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, MRS SOPHIA HO AND MR PETER C. WONG TOGETHER WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE SECRETARIES FOR SECURITY, DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, HEALTH AND WELFARE, AND EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE MEETS REGULARLY. MUCH WORK IS ALSO DONE THROUGH ITS SUB-COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS.

THE MAIN SUBJECTS COVERED BY THE COMMITTEE'S FOURTH REPORT INCLUDE:

USE OF

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