Police-1961-1962 — Page 31

1957-58

1958-59 1959-60

1960-61 1961-62

Serious Crime

15,662

14,970

13,599

13,530

14,468

Breach of Deportation Orders

659

483

313

188

83

Offences punishable by Deportation Membership of Unlawful Societies

496

312

230

152

79

1,796

3.478

3,521

747

301

Miscellaneous Offences

173,342

170,166

165,371

81,891

81,757

Narcotics Offences

13,066

9,041

12,539

17,887 16,038

Reports Disclosing No Offence

153,075

173,831

211,222

239,277 238,179

358,096 372,281 406,795 353,672 350,905

106. Apart from the 238,179 reports which did not, after investiga- tion, prove to warrant further police action, 112,726 reports of offences were received. This shows a decrease of 1,669 compared with last year's figures. Apart from serious crime, which has increased, there have been decreases in Narcotics, deportations and miscellaneous offences. Of the 238,179 reports disclosing no offences, 2,565 were originally classified as serious crimes, 235,610 as miscellaneous offences and 4 as narcotics offences.

107. The Tables at Appendix VII of this Report provide a detailed analysis of the volume and types of crime for the year; the comparative tables and charts show the trends in crime over the past three years. In addition there is a general analysis of serious crime by age groups.

108. One of the most spectacular cases dealt with by the C.I.D. was the solution of a kidnapping which had occurred in June, 1959. Follow- ing information provided by a chance quarrel overheard by members of the Traffic Branch, C.I.D. investigations led to the discovery of the remains of the victim in a hillside grave below the Repulse Bay Road. Three men were convicted of murder; they have appealed against the conviction. The same three men together with a fourth have also been charged with the murder of another man whose body was found buried on the hillside below the Shek O Road. The trial of this latter case was pending at the close of the year.

JUVENILE CRIME

109. A total of 1,609 juveniles (i.e. young persons under 17 years of age) were arrested for serious crime representing 21.6% of the total number of persons arrested compared with 17% for the previous year. 110. Arrests of young persons aged between 17 and 20 years totalled 708 and accounted for 9.5% of the total number of persons arrested compared with 676 of 9% in the preceding year.

23