Our next question: What is your strategy to convince your parents to give you pocket money? This question was sponsored by HSBC Teens. The top 10 responses will receive a pair of theme park tickets. To take part, drop us a line via this form by 12pm on Wednesday, May 13.
Iris Zhou, 12, Harrow International School Hong Kong: Teens are most vulnerable to crime online because digital platforms make it effortless to contact people involved in illegal acts. This is because teenagers are immature and easily influenced, and on the internet, there are many influencers who could lead teens to harmful behaviours.
Jachin Tse Tak-Yin, 13, Stewards Pooi Kei College: In real life, peer pressure hits hard at parties. Friends push “one more drink” or “let’s go to that dodgy spot”. Desperate to fit in, teens ignore their gut feelings, drop their guard while drunk and fall victim to assault or robbery.
Jadan Lam Chak-him, 15, GCCITKD Lau Pak Lok Secondary School: I believe that schools are the places where young people are most likely to commit offences, with bullying being the most common form of such behaviour, as some students bully others because of peer pressure.
Abbie Lam Hoi-ching, 17, Christian Alliance S.C. Chan Memorial College: Social media is a huge place for crime, and many of its users are young people. For instance, scams often occur on social media. Young people also have less awareness of scams on social media platforms.
Abby Wong, 15, Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School: Young people are most vulnerable in unsupervised public spaces, online platforms and private homes due to a lack of guardianship. They are targeted because of their impulsivity, low awareness of risk and vulnerability to peer pressure.
Sin Yat-nok, 15, Immaculate Heart of Mary College: Young people are most vulnerable to crime when they are alone, hanging out on the streets. When they seem lonely, some strangers may offer them drugs like etomidate, and the teens may become dependent on it.
Cheri Ho Cheuk-yiu, 16, St Francis’ Canossian College: Digital spaces like social media or gaming platforms. The anonymity of the internet allows for grooming, cyberbullying and sophisticated financial scams. Young people often have a high digital footprint but may lack the knowledge to identify deepfakes or other deceptive tactics.
Renee Hui Lok-ching, 13, Tak Nga Secondary School: Young people are most vulnerable in unsupervised places like street corners, parks and transit stops, especially after school when adults aren’t present. When teens live in homes with domestic conflict or poverty, their loneliness or need for money could be exploited by scammers or gangs that might try to recruit them.
Chloe Chiu Ho-yi, 13, St Stephen’s College: I believe a common scenario for juvenile delinquency is when they associate with a group of unsavoury friends. These friends commit crimes together and then try to persuade the teenager to join them. Unable to refuse their friends, the teen ends up committing a crime.
Daisy Cheung, 11, SKH Tin Wan Chi Nam Primary School: Cyberbullying is not the biggest danger facing university students. Some of them are also scammed through job applications and end up lending their bank cards or phone numbers to scammers, thus committing crimes such as money laundering or other illegal activities.
This question has been sponsored by the Hong Kong Police Force. The Police Force’s 2025 Youth Crime Prevention Booklet, enriched with expert insights and video content, aims to educate teachers, parents, and students on crime risks and prevention strategies.
