2005 Crime Statistics

I think the NZ Police have been reading Freakonomics. One of the articles in that book advocates that the major cause of the drop in crime in the US in the 1990s is the legalisation of abortion.

The NZ Police are trying to spin things the other way, suggesting the significant increase in crime in Counties Manukau and the Waikato is because the baby blip generation are reaching their mid-teens.

So what do the latest statistics tell us.

The total amount of recorded crime is up only 0.3%. Not much but as I have said for many years this is almost a meaningless statistic. Certain trivial crimes such as disorderly are far more numerous than more serious ones such as rape. You could have a 50% increase in rape and a 10% decrease in disorderly behaviour, and find total crime is falling.

So to make sense of the stats, you need to look at categories or even individual crimes and see what has happened. And remember most of these stats were falling when Labour came into office.

Recorded violent crime was up 7% last year, and has increased 22% since 1999.

Grievous assaults are up 13% (a massive 54% since 1999).

Robberies (not burglary) are up 12% (40% since 1999)

Reported Sexual Crimes went up 6% last year.

And to help save the crime problem, you will all be pleased to know that one Labour Minister (Harry D) wants police to spend less time on the front-line, and instead to take over driver licensing and testing!