Counter to that is the view of those who tend to think that the world is going to hell in a handcart and that includes levels of crime, along with political correctness and over-sensitivity, while education and health are apparently all turning to custard.
None of this stacks up statistically, by the way. But when it comes to law and order, everyone is an expert, and they love bad news when it comes to the justice sector.
The scream goes up that we need more police, yet we are experiencing lower levels of crime; the least number of people appearing before our courts; and better sentences which have greater positive effect on offenders and their families.
The police have more resources than they have ever enjoyed although staff numbers per head of population may have dropped. This is countered by the use of technology which allows police to stay out on the street doing their job, rather than spending hours behind a typewriter like they used to do 17 years ago when I was in the force.
Every cop carries a cellphone and has access to modern communications systems, but people struggle to get them on the phone. Which begs the question as to why we need so many hundreds of new police if there is less work to do and greater ability to do the work via the technology.
Politically, though, we are seeing the rise of fear about crime and we are seeing the perennial law and order big red button being pushed by political parties. The window of consensus about smart and practical responses to crime is shutting.
Labour, wanting to grab some traction and look like an alternative government, is talking tough on crime. National, wanting to retain power, is talking tough on crime. New Zealand First, wanting to keep the votes of the older and insecure, is talking tough on crime.
Sensible solutions are not popular with voters -- they want their hell-in-a-handcart perceptions confirmed.
Voters want people locked up for longer, but don't want to pay for it. They want crime to come down, but don't want to fund the cost of proven and practical sentences which bring crime down.
For about eight years the major political parties have agreed with academics and practitioners about dealing with crime and criminals. Now the politics is getting in the way of reason.
The need to get elected will overtake rationality because "if it bleeds, it leads" as they say in the media. So profile hungry politicians will be front and centre with a line on every violent offence or social tragedy, with their finger poised over that big red "tough-on-crime" button.
A sad day for New Zealand, but there is an election around the corner.
