Homicide-suicide in Hong Kong, 1989-1998

This study provides the first systematic research of homicide-suicide (HS) in a Chinese society. Data were drawn from the HK Homicide Monitoring Data-base computer file derived from investigation and death reports held by the HK Police Force and the Coroner's Court. During the 10-year study period, 56 events involving 133 deaths were identified. The majority of offenders were males (75%) and most victims were female (64%). The mean age of offenders and victims were 41.9 and 32.3 years, respectively. Spouses and lovers comprised the majority of victims (46.4%) followed by child victims (36%). Most HS events were motivated by separation or termination of marital or sexual relations (39%), economic reasons (25%) and other domestic disputes (20%). The most frequent modes of killing were strangulation/suffocation (26%), stabbing/chopping (24%), followed by gassing/poisoning (14%) and falling from height (14%). The commonest of suicide was falling from height (48%). It was followed by gassing/poisoning (22%) and strangulation/suffocation (13%). Depression (18.3%) was found to be the commonest mental disorder. Most offenders were from low-socio-economic background. Two-third were unemployed and 76.6% had 9 or less years of education. HS in HK were distinguished from those reported in the western literature in respect to the high relevance of economic factors, the absence of mercy killing between old couples, a higher percentage of pedicide-suicides and the infrequent use of firearms.     

Homicide–suicide in Hong Kong, 1989–1998

This study provides the first systematic research of homicide–suicide (HS) in a Chinese society. Data were drawn from the HK Homicide Monitoring Data-base computer file derived from investigation and death reports held by the HK Police Force and the Coroner’s Court. During the 10-year study period, 56 events involving 133 deaths were identified. The majority of offenders were males (75%) and most victims were female (64%). The mean age of offenders and victims were 41.9 and 32.3 years, respectively. Spouses and lovers comprised the majority of victims (46.4%) followed by child victims (36%). Most HS events were motivated by separation or termination of marital or sexual relations (39%), economic reasons (25%) and other domestic disputes (20%). The most frequent modes of killing were strangulation/suffocation (26%), stabbing/chopping (24%), followed by gassing/poisoning (14%) and falling from a height (14%). The commonest method of suicide was falling from a height (48%). It was followed by gassing/poisoning (22%) and strangulation/suffocation (13%). Depression (18.3%) was found to be the commonest mental disorder. Most offenders were from low-socio-economic background. Two-third were unemployed and 76.6% had 9 or less years of education. HS in HK were distinguished from those reported in the western literature in respect to the high relevance of economic factors, the absence of mercy killing between old couples, a higher percentage of pedicide–suicides and the infrequent use of firearms.     

香港的海事审判管辖权

根据香港高等法院法令第12条的规定,介绍了香港海事法院的管辖事项的范围、管辖权的行使方式、提出管辖权异议的理由,以及香港海事法院的收费标准等。     

Spent convictions in Hong Kong

In 1986 the Legislative Council of Hong Kong enacted the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance. The purpose of the Ordinance is to help an individual convicted of a single minor offence to have his conviction spent. Once a conviction is spent, the individual is, in certain circumstances, allowed not to disclose it and the court is barred from referring to it in certain circumstances. The purposes of this article are to demonstrate the drafting history of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance, discuss case law emanating from courts in Hong Kong on some sections of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance, and based on the experience and practice from other commonwealth countries or jurisdictions, make recommendations on how some sections of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance may be amended to strengthen the spent convictions regime. In order to contextualise the drafting history of the Ordinance, the author will also attempt to demonstrate why this proposal emerged in the 1980s – a period known for the start of the gradual democratisation of Hong Kong, the relevant factors which were happening in relation to Hong Kong’s criminal justice system and process, and the players involved.     

Triad-related homicides in Hong Kong

This study provides an overview of the first systematic research on triad-related homicide in a Chinese society. In the 10-year period from 1989 to 1998, 11.9% of all homicides or a total of 95 triad-related homicides were extracted from the Hong Kong Homicide Monitoring Database. These events resulted in 124 victims (13.2 percent of all victims) and involved 526 known offenders. Triad homicides were classified into various types based on different combinations of circumstances, motivation, and outcomes including unintended outcomes.     

以香港為視角看兩岸四地司法協助制度

随着内地与港澳对一国两制下司法协助新模式的积极探索和2008年以来两岸关系的历史性转折,内地和港、澳、台四地间的司法协助成效显著。尤其是近年来,两岸签署了经济合作框架协议等一系列协议,四地间经济、文化等交流日趋紧密,涉及司法协助的案件整体上增长势头明显,数量上远超国际司法协助案件。2012年人民法院办理涉港文书送达司法协助案件1515件,涉澳文书送达和调查取证司法协助案件81件,较2008年分别上升了38.5%和72.3%。2009年6月25日两岸司法互助协议生效后,当年人民法院办理的两岸司法协助案件数量即突破1000件,此后每年都在6000件以上。四地间司法协助工作的全面开展,既有利于区际司法合作的深入推进,也为四地的融合和经贸关系发展提供了制度保障和动力。本期特选取温嘉明律师关于四地间司法协助制度的文章,梳理区际司法协助的法律基础和发展历程,研讨其取得的成就及尚存的不足。     

Robbery, recession and real wages in Hong Kong

Between 1965 and 1975 Hong Kong experienced a dramatic increase in reported crime. Criminologists have put forward two major explanations for this: 1) modernization (or convergence) theory, and 2) the alleged break-up of the police-triad (Chinese secret societies) alliance following the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Data from the 1970s show a remarkably close relationship in Hong Kong between changes in real wages and robbery rates. In this paper we argue that declining wages are related to increased rates of such 'quick cash' crimes, particularly in societies lacking a safety net of unemployment benefits, universal health insurance and income security provisions. The results offer support for this alternative, but admittedly partial, explanation of Hong Kong's rising crime rate. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

香港有组织犯罪现状分析

近年来,随着香港社会、政治、经济的快速变迁,香港有组织犯罪的犯罪状况也发生了深刻变化,在构成状况、犯罪类型和犯罪目的、活动地域、组织状况、成员状况、侵害状况等六个方面呈现出新的特征。香港有组织犯罪的现实和发展趋势表明,防治香港有组织犯罪必须紧跟香港社会、政治、经济的发展变化,从加强社会的控制机制入手,采取社会的、立法的、司法的以及国际合作的等一系列综合治理措施。     

Beat patrol deployment in Hong Kong

This article addresses critical policy issues raised in the SB vs. DB debate. How should such a policy debate be resolved? What are the pros and cons of both patrol deployment measures? More importantly, what immediate and effective remedial steps can be taken to secure the front line police officers’ desire for safety and security without compromising the public's legitimate expectation for order and service. This article provides the HKP community — policymakers, operational managers and front line officers — with relevant research literature and pertinent empirical data to understand the issues involved and help resolve the debate in an informed and reflective manner. In the end, the article argues that education and training are more important than patrol deployment in reducing risk of injury to police officers in the line of duty. Removal of side arms and demilitarization of the HKP is also suggested.     

凝聚共識的系列審判 2013年8月—10月大案匯總

近期一系列案件的開庭、審判、對社會關注的回應,在某種程度上凝聚了社會共識,讓國人看到中國在推進法治和推進司法改革上的決心,也為今年第四季度十八屆三中全會的召開打了前站。從這些案件的審判中我們可以看到,中國沒有回避問題,同時又在積極謀求解決問題。不論案件被告人是手握重權的高官,還是普通百姓,中國政府做近期一系列案件的開庭、審判、對社會關注的回應。在某種程度上凝聚了社會共識。     

Hong Kong triads after 1997

This paper reports on triad activities in Hong Kong from 1997 to 2004. In opposition to the popular view that mass triad migration to Western countries would occur around the period when Hong Kong was turned over to Mainland China in 1997, what has actually happened is that in the last decade Hong Kong triad members have increasingly been found to enter the Chinese market. There are three general trends of triad activities in Hong Kong. First, triad members from various societies group together to run profitable criminal projects. Second, they team up with legitimate entrepreneurs to monopolize a newly developed market. Lastly, triad members increasingly invest in legitimate businesses. Sun Yee On, Wo Shing Wo, and 14K are selected to be three case studies that illustrate the latest development of triad societies. The data for this paper are largely based on the author's research on triads in the last ten years, and on recent in-depth interviews with anti-triad police officers and different informants in Hong Kong.     

Homicide-suicide in the change of time

Homicide-suicide is a rare event compared to suicide and homicide alone. A comparison of the statistical figures of two studies for Hamburg (1950-1961 and 1990-2005) shows a significant development within the last 40 years: the total number of homicide-suicides committed by women has decreased considerably, probably due to a better medical and psychiatric care and greater economic independence, whereas the number of male perpetrators has remained constant. However, these perpetrators are younger now. As far as the methods are concerned, shooting is now the most common means of killing instead of poisoning by coal gas in former days.     

香港证监会执法机制评介

20世纪70年代开始,香港证券监管体制从纯粹的自律监管向法定监管转变,并以2003年《证券及期货条例》为标志,完成了对证券监管相关法律制度的整合。作为证券监管的核心环节,香港证券行政执法制度也逐渐走向成熟。香港证监会执法流程包括立案、调查、处分、检控等相关制度,以市场失当行为审裁处为其特色性安排。