NCJ Number
141239
Date Published
Unknown
Length
38 pages
Annotation
Over the past three decades, juvenile delinquency in Hong Kong has increased rapidly, producing a parallel rise in public concern over the issue and an expansion of the juvenile justice system, which attempts to separate juvenile and adult offenders and to place more emphasis on therapeutic programs than on punishment.
Abstract
Three general explanations for the phenomena are explored. The first is that there has been a real increase in delinquency and that the public concern is justifiably motivated by the facts. The second theory is that the increase in delinquency has been caused by an increased willingness to report crime and delinquency in general, but there may not have been such a dramatic increase in delinquency as believed. The final explanation is that the criminal justice policy may shift to allow the police and courts to more readily press charges and sentence offenders. After discussing Chinese familial values, the creation of delinquency in Hong Kong, trends in youth crime, trends in crime reporting, and net widening effects, the author concludes that a number of converging factors have led to an increase in juvenile crime, but that most cases of delinquency involve relatively minor offenses, notably shoplifting. 4 tables and 27 references