TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 324

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In the past three years a total of 9,038

juvenile offenders have been arrested by the police

in the police divisions which include new towns. In

1985 the number was 2,853, in 1986 2,576, and in 1987

3,609. Of the total arrested over the three years,

per cont

4,056, or 45%, were arrested for shoptheft; 1,509, or

fer cent 17 for other types of theft; 601 for robbery; 509

for burglary; 495 for wounding and serious assault;

and 285 for criminal damage. The remaining offenders

were arrested for blackmail, unlawful society

offences, offences against public order and other

crimes.

To answer the second part of my

le

han. Erind's quation

Ahe Government's anti-crime measures do not

tend to focus on certain geographical areas, although

To combat crime by young people, some measures, will have more effect in the new towns

in the New Territories where there is a

proportionately younger population.

For example,

from the statistics I have just given, shoptheft is

clearly a particular problem involving juvenile

offenders in new towns. Part of the Fight Crime

Committee's campaign over the past year has

concentrated on publicity against shoptheft and such

publicity will again be part of the anti-crime drive

in 1988. The Fight Crime Committee hopes that this

publicity will help to reduce the number of cases of

shoptheft, particularly among young people in new

towns.