NCJ Number
225944
Editor(s)
Wing Hong Chui,
T. Wing Lo
Date Published
2008
Length
294 pages
Annotation
This book provides an introductory overview of the Hong Kong criminal justice system
Abstract
This book is an introduction to the administration of various agencies of the Hong Kong criminal justice system. It outlines some basic concepts in criminal law, and analyzes the process of the criminal justice system, ranging from the report of a crime to the correctional system, examining how the criminal justice personnel work in practice and deal with the offenders and victims. As an introductory text, the ultimate goal is to persuade readers to adopt a more critical approach in order to understand the workings of the system and encourage additional empirical research on crime and justice. The book is divided into two main parts. Chapters 2 and 4 deal with the nature of law, crimes, and victims, whereas the remaining chapters examine different themes and issues surrounding the criminal justice system. Chapter 2 provides a general overview of criminal law in Hong Kong by examining the function and purposes of criminal law and elements for criminal liability. Chapter 3 concludes that Hong Kong has become one of the world's safest cities, which is reflected in the low official crime and victimization rates. Chapter 4 considers in what ways the victim plays an important role in the criminal justice process. The second part of the book covers various aspects of the process, including the changing police organization from a historical perspective (chapter 5); the general prosecution practice and policy (chapter 6); the role of criminal courts, sentencing options, and policy, and the appellate courts (chapters 7 to 9); rehabilitation as the dominant sentencing theory and the main intervention model in dealing with offenders (chapters 10 and 11); and an introduction to the definition of crime prevention, emphasizing the multi-faceted nature of crime, and a review of the most commonly used typologies of crime prevention (chapter 12). Tables, references, and index