Clock turned back on crime

By ALISON HORWOOD

Crime in New Zealand has fallen by the biggest margin in more than a decade.

Taking into account our population increase, the rate of reported crime last year is similar to 1988.

Statistics show crime dropped 5.1 per cent last year, from 461,677 to 438,074 offences.

The year before it fell 2.5 per cent, and in 1997 there was a drop of less than 1 per cent.

The level of overall crime solved by police has also increased 1 per cent, to 38.9 per cent.

However, the biggest setbacks in police success rates are in the areas of sex crimes and children and young persons' offences.

Police solved 49.6 per cent of sex crimes last year, compared with 55.3 per cent in 1997.

For youth offences, the success rate was 56.5 per cent, compared with 68.3 per cent in 1997.

Acting Police Commissioner Rob Robinson said 10 of the 12 police districts reported a drop in crime. The exceptions were Northland, which had increases in youth disorder and cannabis possession, and Tasman, which reported more wilful damage and minor property theft.

Although almost all categories of crime reported substantial decreases, domestic violence rose 9.6 per cent nationally.

Some 4020 offences were recorded last year, compared with 3669 the year before.

Domestic violence rose 21 per cent in Tasman, 18.6 per cent in Auckland City and 11.2 per cent in Wellington.

"A worrying continuing trend is the increase in domestic violence," said Mr Robinson.

"We believe that violence in the home breeds violence on the streets."

He said part of the reported increase showed police were enforcing the Domestic Violence Act, introduced in 1995.

In other areas of crime, sex offences fell 8.1 per cent nationwide. But in North Shore/Waitakere City, they rose 24.1 per cent from 230 in 1998 to 299 last year.

Overall, violent offending dropped 1.9 per cent. The only notable increases were in Tasman (14.3 per cent) and Northland (5.7 per cent).

Drug and anti-social behaviour, which includes liquor and disorder offences, fell 2.1 per cent nationwide.

However, increases were seen in Northland (22.8 per cent), North Shore/Waitakere (15.4 per cent), Counties Manukau (16.3 per cent) and Tasman (11.8 per cent).

Overall, burglary was down 5.5 per cent, representing 4300 fewer offences.

Within that category of dishonesty offences, Auckland City fell 10.2 per cent, Eastern Districts 15.1 per cent and Canterbury 10.7 per cent.

Police Minister George Hawkins said he was concerned about the rate for solving sexual violation offences. They had fallen 17.5 per cent, but police were solving only 45 per cent, down almost 10 per cent on the 1997 rate.

"I am working with police to deliver results in the resolution of crimes," he said.

"It is excellent that recorded crime is down. Now is the time to solve more crimes and arrest criminals."

Opposition justice spokesman Tony Ryall said the fall in crime showed the National Government had been on track.

"The statistics make a joke of Mr Hawkins and [Justice Minister Phil] Goff travelling the country and telling people that crimes like burglary were out of control."