TNAG-0329-FCO40-365-Briefs-for-UK-officials--visits-to-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 64

3.

A.

(a)

(e)

thousand Auxiliary Police;)

legislation to give the Crown right of appeal

against inadequate sentences;

top priority is being given to the

construction and manning of a detention

centre for dealing with young first

offenders, on the principle of a short,

sharp shock (opening 1 June).

There is general acceptance that the Police are doing a good job in difficult circumstances (and rather bewildering too, because no country has had much success with this problem). But there is criticism

of the Judiciary for being too soft, and of conditions

1

in the Borstal-type institutions for being too good.

* scien

V

But I suspect that this science is in such a'

rudimentary statę, that nobody, in any free society can speak with much authority.

5.

זי

¿

My personal intention is to build up

the strength of the Police Force as quickly as possible and to do everything I can to improve the co-operation it gets from the neighbourhoods it protects. Secondly, if the detention centre treatment does not work, I shall have to persuade the Judiciary that society must be protected against young thugs by their removal to prison for long stretches. But it would be repugnant to adopt such a policy until other means have been tried.