XN000022-1987-04-01 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1987

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+ IN THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE THE NUMBER OF NEWLY REPORTED ADDICTS IS FALLING, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE ADDICTS TO VOLUNTEER FOR TREATMENT AND SHOULD HOLD IN RESERVE THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER COMPULSORY TREATMENT PROGRAMMES,

+APART FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS ASPECTS OF COMPULSORY TREATMENT FOR A MEDICAL CONDITION, WE SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT A BROADENING OF THE COMPULSORY TREATMENT PROGRAMMES COULD DRIVE THE ADDICTION PROBLEM FURTHER UNDERGROUND WHERE IT COULD THRIVE AND THE DEMAND FOR ILLICIT DRUGS INCREASE, HE SAID.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO MOST CONCERNED WITH THE RISING TREND IN JUVENILE CRIME AND DELINQUENCY,

ONE OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE'S MAJOR THRUSTS, HE SAID, WAS AGAINST TRIADS AND THE IR BAD INFLUENCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE.

HE ADDED THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL THAT THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS SHOULD BE INCREASED FROM 1:4 000 STUDENTS TO 1:3 000 STUDENTS.

ON THE REGULATION OF THE SECURITY INDUSTRY AND OF BURGLAR ALARMS, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT THEY WERE BOTH BEING CONSIDERED BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

+WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD THE FIRST MEETING OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED WITH THE ADVICE OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SECURITY ASSOCIATION TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON THE LEGISLATION THAT NEEDS TO BE PREPARED TO IMPROVE AND TO MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS OF THE SECURITY INDUSTRY.

+OUR INTENTION IS THAT BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE A DRAFT BILL READY FOR MEMBERS' CONSIDERATION, HE SAID.

MR JEAFFRESON ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ISSUED DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE POLICE TO HAVE POWERS TO INSPECT ALARM SYSTEMS AND TO SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS.

+SHOULD THE IR ADVICE BE IGNORED, WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THE POLICE SHOULD CEASE TO RESPOND TO THE PARTICULAR BURGLAR ALARMS INVOLVED, HE SAID.

+ALSO. BECAUSE OF THE CONSIDERABLE NOISE NUISANCE THESE FALSE ALARMS CAUSE, WE ARE PROPOSING THAT ALL ALARMS SHOULD BE FITTED WITH AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF DEVICES.+

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT APPROPRIATE DRAFT LEGISLATION TO THE COUNCIL DURING THE CURRENT SESSION.

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