ENG-1996 — Page 353

PUBLIC ORDER

Vulnerable Witnesses and Child Protection

After the commencement of the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance in February 1996, the Regional Child Abuse Investigation Units, charged with the investigation of cases involving children who are sexually or physically abused, commenced making applications to courts to adduce video taped testimony and to utilise the Court Closed Circuit Television Link System. During the year, 37 applications were made and approved in respect of 41 child abuse cases taken before the courts.

Two additional video interview and medical examination suites were established one each in the New Territories and Kowloon West - thus bringing the number available to five. The suites are used to video tape interviews with vulnerable victims. and witnesses and conduct forensic medical examinations in a friendly and non- threatening environment.

Throughout the year, a series of awareness training programmes was conducted for Police and attended by other concerned departments and agencies. The programmes covered child development, paedophilia, child pornography and child sexual abuse and were attended by more than 1 000 police officers of the rank of Inspector and above. Further multi-disciplinary intensive training programmes in video recorded interviews of vulnerable witnesses were conducted in July and October. This intensive training covered: understanding of child development; the problems related to child sexual and physical abuse; investigative processes and procedures; and advanced skills for interviewing children and the mentally handicapped on video tape specifically for the purposes of investigation and prosecution. In all, 20 officers successfully completed the course.

Commercial Crime

The Commercial Crime Bureau investigated several local and overseas complaints relating to sophisticated Advance Fee Fraud perpetrated by persons claiming to be officials of the Central Bank of a West African country. Three people were arrested and convicted. The convictions are believed to be the first of their kind in the world in combating this particular kind of international fraud.

The Computer Crime Section was established in 1993 to enforce the Computer Crimes Ordinance. With the rapid increase in both the use of computers and the public awareness of the section's functions, the number of computer crime reports has risen. The section has so far secured 11 successful prosecutions against persons who had made unauthorised access to computer systems.

The Counterfeit and Forgery Division also enjoyed another successful year in combating currency counterfeiting; credit card fraud; and travel and identity document fraud.

Narcotics

The retail price of No. 4 heroin fluctuated throughout 1996. By the end of 1996, the average purity was 44.97 per cent at the average price of $390.65 per gram compared with a purity of 23.34 per cent and a price of $380 at the end of 1995.

During 1996, 297 kilograms of opiate drugs, comprising opium and No. 4 heroin, were seized, compared with 379.9 kilograms in 1995. Police and the Customs and

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