Reported crime takes a tumble
New police figures show there were fewer victims of crime last year but the number of victims of sexual assault increased.
The 2018 data recorded 7240 fewer victims of reported crime than the previous year, which was the result of fewer crimes and robberies. It follows police data from last year that showed the New Zealand murder rate hit a 40-year-low.
Police Minister Stuart Nash welcomed the 2.7 per cent decrease in victimisations.
The overall trend was heading the right way but there were still too many victims and families suffering trauma and other effects of serious crime, he said.
While there were 1000 fewer reported victims of assault, police recorded 119 more victims – an increase of 2 per cent.
The data also showed 74 per cent of the 5560 sexual assaults and related offences were still being investigated.
‘‘Sexual assaults are internationally recognised as under-recorded and police advise that the increased number may mean more victims are coming forward,’’ Nash said.
The new police statistics show 1393 fewer crimes against a person and 5847 fewer crimes against property. The figures reveal 7.5 out of 10 burglaries were residential, with most happening in the early afternoon.
There was a drop of 4706 burglaries, representing a 6.8 per cent decrease. ‘‘This is pleasing given the invasive nature of the crime and its effect on people’s feelings of safety in their own home,’’ Nash said.
Meanwhile, recorded robberies dropped by 14 per cent , with 570 fewer than last year.
Nash said this was a result of a ‘‘significant effort’’ by police and investment from Government to provide fog cannons and other prevention advice to at-risk shop owners. There was a focus on community policing and tackling organised crime, which was a driver of crimes such as burglary and assault, he said.
‘‘The addition of extra police over the coming years will further ensure people feel safe in their communities.’’
About 1190 new frontline officers have been deployed around the country, he said.
The new figures are incidents that have been reported to police but it understood there are victims who are not reporting crimes and police want to encourage them to come forward.
The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey, which collects information about New Zealanders’ experience of crime, is currently under way and is expected to reveal a clearer picture of reporting.
The last survey in 2014 revealed that three-quarters of Kiwis reported no victimisation.
Police service delivery assistant commissioner Jevon Mcskimming said that overall, trust and confidence in New Zealand police remained high and that allowed victims of sexual crime in particular to trust police to investigate, leading to more reporting.
But police always wanted to know more, he said.
Police wanted an accurate representation of the crime that was happening; to prevent crime and understand what is going on, he said. This already included committing to a single non-emergency phone number and adding a digital option for reporting.