Around 64,000 fewer recorded crimes   6 Jul 2015

Hon Amy Adams
Minister of Justice

Around 64,000 fewer recorded crimes

The crime figures from the Better Public Services results show there were around 64,000 fewer crimes in the past year than in June 2011, though data for the most recent quarter serve as a reminder that there is always more work to be done, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

“We’ve made some outstanding progress over the last four years in getting the crime rate down to its lowest level since 1978. The Justice Sector has exceeded two targets and we’ve set ourselves a tougher target to keep the pressure on,” says Ms Adams.

In the last quarter there were small increases in the target areas, including a 2.3 per cent rise in violent crime.

“Across the board, crime rates are still significantly lower than they were in June 2011. While the small increases this quarter are disappointing, they serve as a reminder that the Justice Sector cannot rest on its laurels,” says Ms Adams.

“We deliberately set ourselves challenging targets. We knew that in the early years we were likely to see strong progress as we tackled the low-hanging fruit. Now we have to concentrate on tackling the more stubborn figures. We’ll do this by being more targeted with our approach, including our cross-agency plan to combat family violence.

“I’m keeping a close eye on the violent crime rate, but reports show the rise has been driven largely by the increase in reporting of domestic violence, rather than an actual rise in harm.”

“Victims of domestic violence have traditionally been very wary in reporting this abuse to Police but our analysis shows that this trend is changing. Victims are now more willing to come forward and we’re focused on providing them with the most effective support when they do.”

“The sector is also focused on preventing repeat victimisation through providing targeted programmes to prevent future violence.”

“Ultimately we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that New Zealand is becoming a safer place every year and that’s something we should all be very proud of.”

ENDS

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