XN000022-1994-11-16 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1994

NOT

BUT WE ARE FAR FROM COMPLACENT ABOUT THIS. THE TREND OF THE JUVENILE OFFENDER RATE IS NOT SO ENCOURAGING. OVER THE SAME SEVEN YEARS, THE RATE HAS DECREASED; BUT ONLY MARGINALLY AND CONSISTENTLY. THE PROBLEM REMAINS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN; IN PARTICULAR THE INVOLVEMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN SHOP THEFT, MISCELLANEOUS THEFT AND OFFENCES RELATING TO UNLAWFUL SOCIETIES, WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY OF OFFENCES FOR WHICH JUVENILES ARE ARRESTED.

WE ARE TACKLING THE PROBLEM, FIRST, THROUGH CO-ORDINATED ACTION IN THE SCHOOLS, INVOLVING THE POLICE, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

WITH

THE

WE ARE NOT DENYING THE PROBLEM OF INVOLVEMENT OF JUVENILE TRIAD SOCIETIES AND OTHER GANGS, NOR WE IGNORING THE PROBLEM. POLICE DEPLOY OFFICERS, BOTH IN UNIFORM AND IN PLAIN CLOTHES, IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS, AND IN OTHER AREAS FREQUENTED BY JUVENILES, IN ORDER ΤΟ IDENTIFY BAD ELEMENTS AND ELIMINATE POTENTIAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES; THEY PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ATTEMPTS TO RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE INTO TRIAD ORGANISATIONS AND STREET GANGS.

IN GENERAL, THE POLICE MAINTAIN GOOD LIAISON WITH AND RECEIVE GOOD CO-OPERATION FROM SCHOOLS IN TACKLING THIS PROBLEM. THEY OBTAIN INFORMATION ON TRIAD AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES TO A NUMBER OF SOURCES, INCLUDING CRIME REPORTS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS. CERTAINLY RELUCTANCE TO REPORT IS A PROBLEM. BUT THE POLICE ARE TAKING A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM. THROUGH THE SCHOOL OFFICERS, WHO CONTACT WITH PUPILS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS, AND MAKING IT EASIER TO REPORT CRIME ANONYMOUSLY IF PREFERRED BY THE INFORMANTS.

LIAISON THROUGH

THE POLICE ALSO PROVIDE DEDICATED SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS, AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR DISTRICT ANTI-TRIAD SECTIONS, WHICH CONDUCT REGULAR VISITS TO SCHOOLS TO WARN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF GETTING INVOLVED WITH TRIADS; TO INVESTIGATE REPORT'S RELATING TO TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS; TO IDENTIFY AND ARREST TRIAD RECRUITERS; TO INTERVIEW ARRESTED PERSONS, VICTIMS AND WITNESSES; AND TO ASSIST IN THE FORMULATION OF STRATEGIES TO COMBAT VIOLENT AND TRIAD-RELATED CRIME INVOLVING STUDENTS.

HARD-HITTING PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS, AIMED PRIMARILY AT YOUNG PEOPLE, ARE MOUNTED AT REGULAR INTERVALS TO WARN OF THE DANGERS OF CRIME AND ITS CONSEQUENCES AND TO ENCOURAGE VICTIMS AND WITNESSES REPORT CRIME, IN CONFIDENCE, USING THE POLICE HOTLINE.

WE ARE, AS MRS PEGGY LAM HAS PROPOSED, ABOUT PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, TO DEMYSTIFY AND DEGLAMOURISE THE CAMPAIGN IS TARGETED AT JUVENILES AND YOUNG PEOPLE.

TO

TO LAUNCH A TRIADS. THIS

THE POLICE ALSO LIAISE CLOSELY WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

/THE EDUCATION