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Chapter 16

Public Order

Thanks to the efforts of the disciplinary forces, and the cooperation and support of the public, Hong Kong continued to be one of the safest cities in the world. In 2007, the overall crime rate fell by 1.4 per cent while the violent crime rate fell by 0.4 per cent compared to 2006. The overall crime detection rate was

45.6 per cent.

Fight Crime Committee

Established in 1973 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Fight Crime Committee provides advice and recommendations on measures to prevent and reduce crime, and coordinates crime-fighting efforts and monitors their results.

During the year, the committee continued to monitor the overall crime situation and the trend of various types of commercial crime. The committee also examined the findings of a survey it commissioned on crime victimisations in Hong Kong in 2005. The survey provided an additional source of information to the Government for planning anti-crime strategies and crime prevention measures.

To enhance public awareness of thefts which continued to account for the major share of crime in Hong Kong, and the marked increase in deception cases in 2006, the committee launched a publicity campaign to draw attention to these two developments. To promote involvement of senior citizens in the fight crime effort, the committee explored the feasibility of setting up a 'Senior Police Call' scheme.

In 2007, the committee also studied the public education initiatives for young people, launched by the Correctional Services Department (CSD), to promote crime prevention and support for the rehabilitation of offenders. It supported CSD's plan to continue to undertake various publicity activities to enhance community support for the reintegration of rehabilitated offenders into society.

The committee kept under review the progress of the 'Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme', which serves as an alternative to prosecuting young offenders.