crime

Murdering statistics

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:36 am, July 12th, 2010 - 16 comments

Something that really boiled my blood a few weeks back, but which I haven’t had a chance to write about yet was this post by National Party pollster David Farrar on the topic of a recent lull in homicides in a single police district. It was the worst kind of politics – a person who knows his argument is false taking advantage of the suffering of people and the ignorance of his audience for petty party political points scoring.

Private Prison Profile

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 11:41 am, June 29th, 2010 - 74 comments

When National get their ideological wish to get a prison privately run here, the most likely candidate will be Australian/UK prison company G4S. In the ‘care’ of these crime profiteers, an Aboriginal man died in a Western Australian prison van, during a four hour ride without ventilation in 50 degree plus temperatures that gave him 3rd degree burns. And that’s far from the only abuse.

Yet more abuse of Urgency

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:17 am, June 26th, 2010 - 20 comments

This week, the Government slammed through the Policing (Involvement in Local Authority Elections) Amendment Bill. It lets Police stand for local elections under the same rules as other public servants. It’s an issue that deserves to be debated. Instead, it was rushed through by this government in yet another shameful act of disregard for transparent government and active democracy.

Flotilla Massacre Roundup

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 10:38 am, June 4th, 2010 - 11 comments

After the first shocking news, Israel took control of information about their act of high seas piracy. From jamming the airwaves to stop the media reporting from the boats shortly after they boarded them, to keeping the protesters detained, they ensured that their side was the only one that had the facts.

Kerre Woodham on three strikes law

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 1:12 pm, May 31st, 2010 - 37 comments

Kerre Woodham’s just penned an endorsement of the three strikes act.

She admits that it probably won’t do what it sets out to do. She accepts that it might be unjust. She understands that it will be expensive. Nevertheless she supports it.

Here’s why…

Economics on private prisons don’t add up

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 2:03 pm, May 11th, 2010 - 15 comments

The argument against privatising prisons isn’t high principle (only the state should imprison people) or that this is an attempt at cost-cutting. No, the reason private prisons suck is they cost more. The last time Auckland Remand was privatised it didn’t save money. It cost $66,000 a year to imprison someone in Auckland remand vs $49,000 for a publicly-run equivalent.

Collins: All talk, no crush

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:46 am, May 2nd, 2010 - 16 comments

We all know that Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins has, for all her tough talk, failed to bring down crime, and suppressed the official advice that her 3 strikes law may increase murders. But what about the policy that got her the nickname that she revels in? How many cars has ‘Crusher’ crushed? The answer may surprise you.

Garrett defends murder increase law

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:05 am, April 21st, 2010 - 37 comments

We were, um, graced with the presence of ACT MP David Garrett on The Standard yesterday. He was trying to defend the 3 strikes policy, which should be renamed the murder increase law in light of the secret advice the Government received from the Ministry of Justice. Like many on the Right, Garrett is in abject denial of Justice’s findings: passing 3 strikes is gambling with people’s lives.

Renewed questions over Sensible Sentencing Trust & GEO Group

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:59 am, April 16th, 2010 - 45 comments

It’s time to renew the questions about links between the leading advocates of harsher prison sentences in New Zealand, the Sensible Sentencing Trust and GEO Group, a US private prison operation whose former name, Wackenhut Corrections, became a byword for corruption and abuse. Who is really behind this privatisation and longer sentences agenda?

PPPs don’t make economic sense

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:57 am, April 15th, 2010 - 55 comments

National’s apologists say we should let private corporations run our prisons because it will save money. But do Public Private Partnerships (privatisation in drag) really save money? The experience here and abroad says no. To put it bluntly, when you rely on someone else to deliver something you need they’ve got you by the balls and the profit motive gives them plenty of incentive to squeeze.

Allied with murderers

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:25 am, April 7th, 2010 - 41 comments

Wikileaks has revealed footage shot from a US Apache helicopter in Iraq in 2007 as they callously murder a dozen Iraqi civilians. Every time you read of some wedding convey being shot up or a houseful of ‘insurgents’ being bombed remember this video and remember that our soldiers are now part of the combat force that is committing these same barbaric acts in Afghanistan.

Key’s promises on crime

Written By: r0b - Date published: 6:53 am, April 5th, 2010 - 58 comments

John Key makes big promises and he doesn’t deliver. Tax cuts North of $50? Jobs summit? Close the gap with Australia? His rhetoric on crime is another example. Key promised to tackle violent crime. Key promised a war on P. Well, the first report card is in, and it isn’t good.

Child offending up with higher unemployment

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:55 am, March 15th, 2010 - 8 comments

The Herald has a little shock piece on child offending: “5-year-old sex offender on crime list“. Of course, what the offence was isn’t mentioned and there’s good reasons why children aren’t held legally responsible for their actions. There is an interesting sentence though: “Although the numbers are slightly up on the previous year, they are […]

Daddy to the rescue for Slater

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:11 am, March 9th, 2010 - 22 comments

When things got too hot Cameron Slater called on Daddy to save him. John Slater rushes in to say to cops shouldn’t be charging his son who has been getting his 15 minutes of fame exploiting sex abuse victims. The Nats think the rules don’t apply to them (cf. Heatley, English, Bennett, Jim McClay…). The law’s for keeping the poor in line, not the rich, they reckon.