Mock trials teach students about Hong Kong's legal system

Experiencing an event in real life always leaves a much deeper impression than simply hearing a story. For the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, offering a real-life court experience to secondary school students is a great way to impress upon them the consequences of crime and how the legal system works in our community.

The society also offers schools talks on crime prevention and students can listen to stories from former offenders, but lecturing teenagers usually doesn't work.

"If you just give them a talk, they shut their ears," says the society's chief executive Andy Ng Wang-tsang. "We explore all types of programmes to carry this message. Through the mock trial [competition], they can learn about crime prevention and the legal system in a more interesting way."

The Mock Trial Competition brings teams of students into the courtroom, where, dressed in silks and before real judges and a jury made up of volunteers, they take part in the trial of a young person charged with a crime such as drug trafficking, blackmailing, an indecent act, fighting or stealing.

The topic and witness statements are provided by the society, and the students take on the roles of offenders, lawyers and witnesses.

"It requires an in-depth study of criminal cases," Ng says. "They learn what a crime is, what legal procedures are involved. In the courtroom the atmosphere becomes very tense. Sometimes the case drags on, the jury becomes solemn and serious."

Launched seven years ago, the competition attracts between 30 and 50 schools; this year, 30 took part. Participation is by invitation. Renting the courtrooms and gowns, and other expenses cost from HK$800,000 to HK$1 million, which is partly paid for by the schools and partly by sponsors.

"The number of participants is unfortunately limited by the number of volunteers. We keep thinking about how to expand but we have to be realistic. It is not easy to have enough legal practitioners to join," Ng says.