10
The Secretary for Administrative Services and Information has in the past indicated that he is reviewing this Ordinance, including the provisions for registration of publications, with these points in mind. That review is now well advanced and Members can expect to see a bill in this session.
General levels of sentences of imprisonment
Mr. S.L. Chen has performed a valuable service in bringing to Members' attention the question whether serious crimes are adequately
I recognise that there is punished in the courts. in the community much concern about the incidence of rape, robbery and theft and whether the punishment fits the crime. The statistics which Mr. S.L. Chen placed before the Council have given us food for thought.
Perhaps the first thing to be borne in mind is that the totals he has put forward for these offences necessarily cover a wide range of
circumstances; from the
most serious cases of their
kind which are tried in the High Court to the most trivial instances of theft and robbery which are dealt with in the Magistrates' Courts.
For example
his total of convictions for theft includes shop stealing, or shop lifting as it used to be called, which tends to attract a lenient sentence if only
Last year 45% because of the small values involved.
of the convictions for theft were for stealing from shops. It must also be borne in mind that the
/...11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.