TNAG-0403-FCO40-449-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 22

CONFIDENTIAL

With regard to other kinds of crime, there is

no evidence to suggest that any significant

part of the increase before the middle of 1973

has been due to more willingness to report. The

only changes in the recording practices of the

Police relate to the classification of offences

under the Theft Ordinance, which was enacted in

1970, and do not affect the figures sent to us

by Hong Kong.

•

The murder figures expressed as the "murder

rate" per million are as follows:

1960/65

8.5

1968

13.1

1969

14.2

1970

17.9

1971

24.2

1972

27.9

1973

26.9 (rate per annum

as at end of

October 1973 when the figure was 94).

I am sending copies of this letter to the

Private Secretaries to the other members of

DOPC and to Brian Webster.

Although earlier correspondence has bec

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CONFIDENTIAL

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN