Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

I think almost every New Zealander knew instinctivly that when George Hawkins claimed that women were more worried about a speeding car than being attacked in their home, it had to be wrong.

And of course it was.

As John Armstrong points out, the survey actually found people were only marginally more worried about being in an accident caused by a *drunk* driver than being burgled, and a higher percentage of women were “very worried” by the prospect of being sexually assaulted or raped than being in a traffic accident.

Today’s NZ Herald editorial coorectly states “The profession of policing is not to make people merely feel safe, or believe they are safe, but to ensure they truly are as safe as they can be within the limits of available resources and considerations of civil liberties.”

I wonder if Helen is regretting keeping Hawkins on in his portfolio. The faces of her colleagues suggest she may be.