NCJ Number
177809
Journal
Trends in Organized Crime Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: Spring 1999 Pages: 60-80
Date Published
1999
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the political-criminal nexus (PCN) in Hong Kong explains that this phenomenon has had two distinct phases: from the end of World War II until about 1970, from the early 1970s to the present.
Abstract
Sociological, economic, and political factors facilitated the PCN. The autocratic British colonial regime made up a tiny elite that ran the colony in their own economic interests. The commercial power houses founded in colonial days and a handful of rich Chinese willingly collaborated with the colonial regime. The vast refugee population that came from China after the Communists came to power in 1949 was disinterested in politics and wary of government, and made no attempt to challenge the elite. Law enforcement preserved stability for the activities of the elite, who ignored the corruption and Triad activity. The situation changed in the late 1960s as the children of the refugees came of age and watched the cultural revolution in China. Rioting threatened both the power of the elite and the economy on which it was based. The colonial government responded by funding social services, housing, and education and by enacting legislation to improve the lives of ordinary people. The Independent Commission Against Corruption was formed in 1974 and has a long record of success. It has draconian powers of investigation, guaranteed independence, and a substantial budget. Other aspects of Hong Kong's successful strategy against crime and corruption include high pay for public officials, severe penalties for those convicted of corruption, close monitoring, and community education and support for a culture of lawfulness. Figure, table, reference notes, and 28 references