A Structural Modelling Approach to Predict Adolescent Offending Behaviour from Family,School and Community Factors

It seems undeniable that immediate social contexts exert an important influential role on adolescent behavioural adjustment. Research thus far has found that certain family, school and community/neighbourhood environment characteristics may influence a youth’s involvement in risk activities such as antisocial behaviour and drug use, and even delinquent behaviour. However, the mechanisms that link these characteristics to such behaviours have not yet been thoroughly analysed and prior research has focused mainly on adult populations. The objective of this study was to analyse the joint contribution of specific factors, deriving from family, school and society, which have an effect on levels of drug consumption, antisocial and offending behaviour, in a sample of 2528 youths (aged 10 to 16). In particular, in accounting for involvement in risk activities and ultimately in offending behaviour, we examined interactions among the following variables: living in a disadvantaged community, quality of relationship with parents, distrust in local police, attitude to social norms, and rejection of and from school (truancy, suspension and expulsion). A structural equation model was calculated to account for these interactions, which revealed patterns of influence with important practical implications related to social policies on risk behaviours in adolescence.     

香港原有法律的适应化及几个理论问题

对香港原有法律适应化是为从根本上铲除英国殖民色彩,对香港原有若干法例作适应化修改,以实现香港原有法律的顺利过渡。香港特区政府把法律适应化作为最优先处理的工作之一。法律适应化中遇到的几个理论与实践问题值得深入探讨     

Factors Associated with the One-year Probation Outcome: A Self-report Study in Hong Kong

Why are some probationers able to comply with the sentence? Why do some fail to do so? In order to answer these questions, the article examines cross-sectional data collected from a selected group of Chinese offenders who were put on a one-year probation sentence in Hong Kong. It, in particular, aims at identifying the relative effects of four types of predictors, namely demographic, socio-economic, criminal history and probation intervention, on the probation outcome. For the purpose of this study, the probation outcome is the self-report data of the probationer at the end of the sentence. Logistic regression analyses revealed that self-reported reoffending was significantly related to peer involvement in criminal activities and triad association, a previous probation sentence, a urine test requirement and the offenders’ positive view of probation officers.     

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.     

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.     

Elder Abuse by Caregivers: A Study of Prevalence and Risk Factors in Hong Kong Chinese Families

This study aimed to establish preliminary estimates and related risk factors for elder abuse among Hong Kong Chinese families. A total of 276 elder Chinese participated in the study, among which 27.5% reported having experienced at least one abusive behavior committed against them by their caregivers during the surveyed year. The most common form of abuse was verbal abuse (26.8%), whereas physical abuse (2.5%) and violation of personal rights (5.1%) were relatively less common. There was no gender difference in the prevalence of elder abuse. Overall and verbal abuse were best predicted by participants' poor visual and memory abilities, dependence on the caregivers, and caregivers' nondependence on them. Physical abuse was best predicted by caregivers' nondependence on the participants as well as participants' dependence on the caregivers. Participants' age was the only significant predictor for violation of personal rights. Results, limitations, and implications of the study were also discussed.     

Implementing Security Council Resolutions in Hong Kong: An Examination of the United Nations Sanctions Ordinance

The United Nations Sanctions Ordinance is the primary legalbasis of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)for implementing the United Nations Security Council's resolutions.However, there are concerns that the Ordinance is potentiallyviolating the separation of powers in its delegation of regulation-makingauthority to the executive. There are also criticisms againstthe expediency of the Ordinance as a mechanism for enforcingSecurity Council sanctions. Against this background, this paperattempts to examine the separation of powers doctrine, its placein HKSAR's constitutional system and its relevance to the Ordinance.On the issue of expediency, this paper focuses on the scopeand speed of implementing the sanctions, and the human rightsand criminal justice problems it involves. For comparative purposes,references are to be made to the law of the USA, Canada andSingapore.     

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。     

Prevalence of spouse aggression in Hong Kong

The present study explored the extent of spouse aggression in Chinese families in Hong Kong. Subjects were 246 female and 136 male undergraduate students who reported on the various forms of interparental aggression and violence. About 75% of the subjects reported interparental verbal or symbolic aggression and 14% indicated the use of physical violence between parents. In general, compared to mothers, fathers engaged in more verbal aggression against their spouses. Mothers were as likely as fathers to use actual physical force toward their spouses. Interparental responses to family conflicts did not vary with children's gender except that female subjects observed that fathers reasoned less but engaged in more insulting, throwing, smashing, hitting, or kicking things than mothers.     

香港监禁刑罚执行制度研究——兼评对内地监狱的改革

我国香港地区根据刑罚体系的不同设计了不同的刑罚执行体系。惩教署是监禁刑罚的执行机构,其根据性别、年龄和保安等级的不同对惩教机构做了不同的分类,以适应不同的罪犯。同时,惩教署开展教育改造、劳动感化、心理服务、宗教服务、善后辅导、中途宿舍、太平绅士巡狱制度和社区参与等一系列的惩教措施来实现对罪犯的教育和改造。对比香港监禁刑罚的执行情况,值得内地监狱借鉴。