Reduction In Crime Is Not All Smoke And Mirrors

‘The recent reported reduction in reported crime, is not all smoke and mirrors’, Kim Workman, spokesperson for Rethinking Crime and Punishment, told members of the Eastern Hutt Probus Club, at a recent meeting. The goals set by the Government’s Action Plan to Reduce Crime and Reoffending, in July 2011, were met with incredulity by many, including long standing employees
“The recent Conviction and Sentencing Statistics certainly show a reduction in crime. The media headings, and some of the content, leave readers with the impression that the incidence of crime is reducing, and well it may be. But the detailed content makes it clear that the reduction has occurred because less people are being prosecuted in court. That can mean one of four things; (a) that there is less crime; (b) there are less people available to commit crime, (c) that there is less reported crime; (d) that administrative decisions have
been made not to prosecute people for committing crime, and instead deal with them by way of warnings, or alternative dispositions.

“Much crime is hidden; only about 10% of all family violence and child abuse is reported to the Police. Much of the crime committed in marginalised and high crime communities are dealt with by members of the community, because of their reluctance to involve the Police of Child, Youth and Family. That is why campaigns like “It’s No OK”, when successful, can raise community resolve to report offences to the Police, resulting in an increase in reported crime within those communities. This of course, can have an undesirable political consequence, when opposition MP’s point to the increase of a particular crime, and blame the government for incompetence or inefficiency. What actually happens is that social marketing campaigns lift community awareness, and prompts the community to take more decisive action.”

“Where a community has low confidence in the Police, or where the penalty for committing an offence is too high, then it acts as a disincentive to report crime. In offences such as child abuse and family violence, whanau and family members are reluctant to report such offences is they know that the offender will spend a long time in prison. They will keep quiet to avoid stigma, and keep the perpetrator within the family network. In Northern Europe and Scandinavia, where child abuse and family violence issues are more likely to be dealt with as a welfare issue, rather than a criminal justice issue, families are more willing to report offending, knowing that the government’s goal is to hold the offender accountable, but at the same time support them to change their behaviour within the framework of their family. That approach results in higher reporting levels, and lower incidents of actual abuse.”

“Setting goals to reduce the level of reported crime, can have serious consequences, if it results in the community or the Police failing to deal responsibly with serious crime. On the other hand, the evidence is clear that if we can deal with young offenders outside of the court system, it will result in reduced reoffending, In the last three years, the Police have used pre-Court warnings for minor adult offenders, increased the level of diversion for young offenders, and engaged in community prevention strategies with high-crime communities. New Zealand leads the world in our approach to young offenders.”

ends

© Scoop Media