TNAG-0396-FCO40-442-Problem-of-increase-in-crime-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 154

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• Extract from ::

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TOWN TALK

SECRETARIAT FOR HOME AFFAIRS

1st February, 1973

TOWN TALK is written for senior officers who are familiar with the general background of life in Hong Kong. It is prepared weekly for Friday morning from material gathered by City District Officers. This is what we hear or are told not what we think. A detailed note on the preparation and significance of TOWN TALK will be forwarded on application.

PRONOUNCEMENTS ON CRIME HOLD LIMELIGHT

NEW BOARD OF EDUCATION WELCOMED

2

1

LAW AND ORDER

The Chief Justice's speech at the open day in the S.W.D.'s Begonia Road Boys' Home met with approval where it supported heavier

penalties for those convicted of crimes of violence. Some still

questioned the value of correctional and probational services however. Pleas were made for those in authority to look at sentencing from the

viewpoint of Chinese people exposed to the experience of confronting robbers and thugs.

2.

In the same vein Magistrate Cameron received no plaudits for refusing to impose the mandatory six-month sentence on a young man charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon. A group of school teachers felt that liberal concepts of punishment would be ineffective in reducing crime at this juncture and urged the courts to uphold the intentions of the legislature.

3.

Many were stunned by the stabbing of the Austrian Trade Commissioner and another Austrian official in broad daylight in their office. With the approach of the Lunar New Year, people from all walks of life call for more patrols and stop and search by plainclothes detectives. A public light bus driver in Western district openly welcomed such stop and search exercises on PLB passengers.

4.

The arms amnesty was endorsed by many who regarded this as a constructive measure to prevent offensive weapons from falling into the hands of young criminals. They doubted however that any criminals or would-be offenders possessing arms would hand them over to the Police.

5.

Some people confused the current Police pre-Lunar New Year anti- crime publicity campaign with the proposed Anti-Crime Campaign now under study by S.H.A.

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