Recorded Crime Remains Steady
New Zealand Police National News Release
10:06am 1 October 2007
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=3391

Recorded offences for the fiscal year increased by only 115 (0.03%) and recorded crime per 10,000 of population decreased by just over 1% during the year. Police resolved 2,194 more offences than in the previous twelve months taking the resolution rate from 44.2% to 44.7%.

These are very pleasing results from a policing perspective said Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls.

"The statistics reflect a greater focus from police in various areas in the drive to reduce crime and crashes. The increase in the resolution rate is a real credit to police staff who are committed to making our communities safer and putting offenders before the courts. "

An increase of 4.4% in violence in part reflects the continuing focus on domestic violence and the continuing community intolerance to acts of family violence. Reporting of such crimes is going up. There has also been an increase in non-domestic violence in grievous and serious assaults which contributed to the overall increase in violent offending.

It is pleasing that murders were down to 50 for the year from 59.

Sexual offences, which make up only 0.8% of recorded crime and known to be significantly under-reported, increased by 4.6% which also reflects Police working with other agencies and an increase in the trend to report such crimes as a result of increasing public awareness and reduced tolerance by society.

An increase of 3.8% in the drugs and anti-social category were driven by increases in disorder and breaches of liquor bans and the Sale of Liquor Act offences.

Dishonesty offences, which make up 55% of all offences, went down by 3.4% driven by a 7% reduction in car conversion and a 5% reduction in theft.

The increase of 8.4% in property damage offences reflects Police and local communities focusing on alcohol abuse and graffiti.

The largest reductions in recorded crime in the Districts were Bay of Plenty with 5.6% reduction, followed by Counties Manukau with 4.9%, Northland 2.9%, Waitemata 2.3 and Auckland City 2%.

Of the five Districts where recorded crime went up; Wellington by 6.9%, Canterbury 5.2%, Central 3.4%, Waikato 3.23% and Tasman 3.11%, there was no common national pattern as to where increases and decreases were occurring at local levels.

"The very encouraging reductions in crime in the three Auckland Districts is a result of the tremendous work by staff in those Districts combined with the increase in the numbers of staff over the past two years."

Mr Nicholls said this is the second full year that crime statistics have been recorded under the NIA system therefore there are no adjustments to reflect the changes following the migration from the old LES system.

ENDS

NOTE: The full crime statistics - both national and District - will be available from 12 noon on the Statistics New Zealand web site - www.stats.govt.nz

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