ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the official reaction, mainly the criminal justice response and legislative reaction, to crime in Macao. Macao is located in Southern China and has been a Special Administrative Region of China since the handover by the Portuguese in 1999. The city has a population of over half a million and a land area of 30 square kilometers. Macao is known for its casino industry, which exceeded Las Vegas in size and revenue in 2006. Macao’s Criminal Code defines all types of crime and stipulates punishment for each crime. The criminal justice system involves many actors including the police, the prosecutor’s office, the courts, and correctional institutions. Response to crime is largely the responsibility of police. Police response to crime can be both reactive, when they respond to a crime after it occurs, and proactive, when police actions emphasize crime prevention before the fact.
