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Jane Moir

MURDERS increased by almost 70 per cent across the territory last year.

  According to the 1995 Coroners' Report, there were 117 murders, an increase of 47 on the previous year.

    There were 26 deaths from stabbings, down slightly on the 29 of 1994, while the number of fatal shootings also fell, from 11 in 1994 to seven last year.

  But the number of fatal arson attacks increased, with fire-related killings rising in the past year to 12. There were no such deaths in 1994.

  Five children were beaten to death, compared with three in 1994.

  Hong Kong University criminologist Dr Roderic Broadhurst said it was too early to be sure whether this was the start of a trend.

  'You have to look over a long period. All you can really say is that there has been an increase. It may reflect some kind of trend, but the increase is coming from such a low base that anything out of the ordinary is going to look bad.'   Compared to other countries, Hong Kong has little cause for concern, he said.

  Killings in the United States average five per 100,000 people, while in the Philippines the total has been as high as 30.

 Figures for last year also show that violent crime was down 0.8 per cent on 1994.

  The overall crime rate was 1,484 per 100,000 people, up 2.4 per cent, and the detection rate was 52 per cent.

  The Coroner's Report, which investigated 7,214 deaths last year, also reveals a 100 per cent increase, over three years, in accidental deaths attributable to drugs.

  In 1992 there were 72 such deaths. The figure soared to 134 in 1994 and 144 last year.

   The report says this is 'the greatest cause of concern'.

  'It is apparent that a significant number of these deaths occur soon after the release of drug offenders from custody, especially drug offenders' rehabilitation centres,' it adds.

  Of the 144 accidental drug deaths last year, 123 victims were male and 21 female, with the majority - 87 - aged 20 to 39.

  Overall, drug-related fatalities - including accidental deaths, suicides and murders - amounted to 198 last year, with 78 owing to the taking of several drugs and 60 resulting from drug abuse.

  Thirteen of the dead were younger than 19.

  The number of suicides continued to rise, from 749 in 1994 to 776 last year - more than half resulting from leaps from buildings.

  Occupational accidental deaths numbered 43 last year, down on 1994's total of 91.



Murders and drug-related deaths soar