A recentsurvey conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups found that firemen, doctorsand judges were the top three professionals most respected and trusted by young people.Young people gave an average mark of 8 or above on a 0-10 point scale in respect to thesetwo areas for the three groups. At the bottom of the list were property agents andinsurance agents.

    To be a fireman or judge were alsoconsidered the top two occupations that received high praise for professional ethics.Social workers came third, followed by doctors who were believed to be the ones making theeasiest money. On the contrary, journalists were considered the ones earning the leastmoney although they were also viewed as one the four professions having great socialinfluence.

    Legislators were ranked having thegreatest social influence.

    Around 30 per cent of respondents saidthat an occupation worthy of respect depended on whether the occupation had contributed tosociety.

    Those occupations greatly respectedby young people were also bottom of the list occupations that had the greatest chances ofbeing corrupted in youths’ views. This suggested that an occupation frequentlyaccused of corruption, as conceived by young people, was one possible factor that affectedyoung peoples’ perception of it. Policemen and businessmen had the greatest chance tocommit corruption, accounting for 42.1 per cent and 24.2 per cent of respondents’answers respectively. Around 20 per cent of respondents said civil servants were mostlikely to commit corruption.

    The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groupsconducted this telephone survey from 14 to 18 December 1998. A total of 503 young people,aged 15 to 29, were successfully interviewed. The survey listed 17 occupations thataroused public’s attention in recent months and were popular in the world of youth.The survey requested respondents to make comments on different occupations.

    The survey found that judges hadthe highest social status in youth's views, followed by lawyers and doctors.

    Among the 17 occupations, doctors andbusinessmen were said to be the two occupations that made the easiest money. However,athletes, social workers and journalists were placed at the bottom of the list.

    The two most popular occupations forrespondents were disciplined services and medical and health services. The greatest numberof respondents attributed the reason to wanting a career in a particular industry thatsuited to own aspirations and interests.

    Journalists were ranked only at themiddle in the list of those with the most respectable profession, the most reliableprofession, and profession with the most satisfactory professional ethnic. However, morethan 20 per cent of youth believed that journalism was the occupation that had thegreatest social influence. The findings suggested that young people, on the one hand,realized the significance of journalists' performance, and on the other had reservationsabout their credibility.

    Miss Sharon Cheung Ching Wan, the researchofficer of the Federation, said that young people paid high respect to firemen which couldbe because they risked their lives to save people and their property from fire.

    Miss Cheung said that a credible and effectivepolice force was one of the major factors in ensuring the stability and prosperity of HongKong society. However, the survey found that policemen were regarded as people having thegreatest chances of committing corruption. The finding, to a certain extent, suggestedthat young people had reservations about the credibility of the police force. Miss Cheungurged the police to improve the corruption problem within the force to revitalize youngpeople's confidence.