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Categories under crime

Mythbusting: Crime is down, not up

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, May 1st, 2008 - 67 comments

It’s hard to know why people keep interviewing Garth McVicar from Sensible Sentencing. The organisation has no credibility, no research every statement on policy is really just ‘Garth guesses X’. And of course, they made those disgusting comments around the death of Pihema Cameron. Nevertheless, he was on National Radio this morning regarding new stats […]

Repeating the mistakes of others

Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, April 29th, 2008 - 13 comments

Remember National’s policy of charging a $50 levy on everyone convicted of or, maybe, charged with (Key keeps on mixing up the terms) an offence? Remember all the obvious problems with it enforcement, administration cost, natural justice issues, the pitiful size of the sum that would be collected? Well, it turns out we missed one. […]

Tough on crime, tough on the parents

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 pm, April 12th, 2008 - 2 comments

Crime, whether static or out of control, is going to be part of our election year “top ten”. I suspect National’s $50 fine policy didn’t quite get the glowing endorsments they were hoping for (see why here). So when I spotted this story at the Guardian, I thought it looked just like a new National […]

Sensible Sentencing: Disgusting

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, April 8th, 2008 - 80 comments

The Sensible Sentencing Trust is a backward, reactionary organisation at the best of times but this is a new low. Responding to comments Children’s Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro made about tagging, Sensible Sentencing’s Garth McVicar said ‘Her comments are hugely provocative at a time when a decent hard working citizen is facing a murder charge […]

“Frankly, it’s a market”

Written By: - Date published: 3:33 pm, April 3rd, 2008 - 9 comments

That’s what Key said when asked about his plan to increase GP fees. A reader reckons Key’s planning to apply the same market logic to crime: Great cartoon. No wonder National’s Law and order Spokesperson, Simon Power, is distancing himself from Key’s policy.

Crime continues to fall

Written By: - Date published: 12:28 pm, April 1st, 2008 - 15 comments

The latest Police statistics show crime is still dropping. Crime dropped from 1013 offences per 10,000 people in 2006 to 1008 in 2007. There was a dramatic reduction in homicides (down 10.1%, following a 10.2% drop in 2006), sex attacks were down 2.3%, and ‘Dishonesty’ offences, including thefts and burglaries, fell 5.1%. There is also […]

National’s victims policy

Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, March 31st, 2008 - 5 comments

National has proposed several initiatives around victims’ rights, most of which are based on policy already under development by the Ministry of Justice. Sure to gain media attention is the ‘Victims’ Compensation Scheme’ to be funded from a levy of $50 on every convicted offender. This is meant to fund victims’ costs ‘such as travel […]

Nats talk up crime, policy absent

Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, March 19th, 2008 - 20 comments

As part of its ‘New Zealand sucks’ campaign, National is on its high horse over an international survey that shows New Zealand’s crime victimisation rate is one of the higher ones in a group of 30 developed countries. Comparing crime levels across countries is bloody hard because of different laws, reporting practices, and reporting rates […]

Good news

Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, February 16th, 2008 - 16 comments

Stuff reports the stolen military medals have been returned. I had expected they would never be seen again but when I think about it nearly every high-profile theft of art or artifact I can remember has resulted a successful return. Kudos to the police for making sure we get to keep a part of our […]

Who’ll run John’s boot camps?

Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, January 30th, 2008 - 70 comments

The Army has said it doesn’t want to run National’s boot camps – they prefer to train people who actually want to be there. So the question now is who do they plan to get to do it? They’re not saying much at the moment, but Key’s new policy does leave the door open for […]

Key speech: strategic blunder?

Written By: - Date published: 2:11 pm, January 29th, 2008 - 113 comments

So this is John Key’s ambition: throwing troubled teens in boot camp, beating up on beneficiaries and criminalising our children. I’ve only had a quick read through the speech in my lunch break so it’s possible I’ve got this wrong, but I get the distinct impression that Key has made a major strategic error here. […]

Key Karaoke

Written By: - Date published: 5:20 pm, December 7th, 2007 - 53 comments

Check out this fantastic karaoke clip from Ali Ikram on Sunrise this morning. Lyrics below: I know this song might sound like “Clocks” But I assure you that it’s not Just a bunch of random notes we composed to attract your votes Sent 10,000 DVDs so you could get to know John Key PS. if […]

Crime: out of control?

Written By: - Date published: 3:07 pm, November 1st, 2007 - 59 comments

John Key made a speech to the Police Association today proposing a whole raft of new police powers, ranging from banning gangs to taking DNA samples from anyone who is arrested, regardless of whether they’re found guilty or innocent. To justify these proposed new powers he relied heavily on the subtext that crime is out […]