Successes in battle on crime

IT IS heartening to see data which indicates Townsville’s long- running crime problem is being reined in.

analysis of police figures has revealed the majority of suburbs have shown a drop in crime in the 12 months since August 21, 2015- 16, based on cases which have been either solved or remain unsolved.

What the figures do reveal is that certain suburbs continued to be hit hard by criminals over this period with those areas showing significant spikes.

The figures, however, generally paint a brighter picture for Townsville than has previously been the case.

The general improvement could be attributed to a number of factors.

Firstly, the good work of police has to be acknowledged. They have taken positive steps to combat the crime problem with good results.

Residents may also be getting the message about the threat that is out there. Too often criminals gain access to houses through unlocked doors and windows. Once inside they can steal property or pick up keys and take vehicles.

As simple as locking up seems, police are constantly reminding residents to take these steps. Not doing so is asking for trouble. If your house is secured, criminals are more likely to move on and look for an easier target.

The downturn could also reflect the cyclic nature of offending.

Most offences are attributed to a core group of criminals who are in and out of detention. If a number of these are off the streets at the same time this can be reflected in a downturn in crime.

Once they are back on the streets, crime figures rise again.

The State Government should not interpret these figures as a victory and take its focus off the problem.

Our police need to be given the resources they require to continue their efforts to prevent crime and put offenders in detention. There are signs that battles are being won but the war continues.