Crime in NZ - What Kiwis Think

Yesterday we blogged on the Herald's article in which it said that 80% of Kiwis think crime is a serious problem in NZ but the majority of them thought it wasn't a problem where they lived - "Not in my backyard" syndrome. Selective blindness perhaps, or a problem with definition?

Today we'd like to share with you some of the Herald's reader responses to their article. Some go so far as to support the presence of vigilante groups. It's great reading for anyone keen to leave behind the crime in their own country and who presently believe the hype about NZ being a safe place with low crime levels.

Fletch (Northland)
Yes - yes - Crime is a very serious problem up here in Northland and has been for quite a long time. Even the 'tourist areas' are now being targeted! Gone are the days when you could leave things unlocked and you were completely safe in your own home but we need to deal with the consequences of the crime.

Judges need to stop giving the criminals a slap with a wet bus ticket - get real give them something that hurts the first time so that they think twice about ever committing a crime again.

You only have to come up here and walk down our town and see what has happened. If the parents have never taught their kids - then unfortunately the law has to step in and try when it really is too late.

Bring discpline back into society - what we are doing today has not helped - it all needs to start in the home when the kids are little. I am not talking abuse here but teaching kids what society is about would help immensely - we have gone too far the other way and we now have a generation of 'iwi' - 'ihi' (I want it - I'll have it) and this says it all!

Indie Gooch (Newton)
This is a nation founded on the wholesale theft of land by threat of genocide - why would anyone be surprised that crime is a part of NZ's culture?


Forrest Green (Pipiwai)
Yes gangs run the country the streets the prisons, it will only escaluate. No one is safe if you think you are your mistaken.

P. Hand (Onehunga)
Crime is a definitely a serious problem in the whole of New Zealand. My take on it is not only the level of substance abuse across many generations but the "lifestyle" choices of those who prefer to stay on a benefit and "party" as they call it.

Not only that the horrendously bad attitude most people have to someone like myself who has struggled and worked to run a small business and own my own home is laughable considering they are better off than me. I couldn't afford to live the way these crims do and I don't have a convenient handout at the end of a bad month where I can't meet my bills.

The whole substance of society needs to change and change now.

Bonux (Auckland)
11 years in jail for stealing war medals.
3 years in jail for murdering a taxi driver.
If crime is a problem, so is the failure of our current Justice system.

D D (Gulf Harbour)
Tuesday November 3, 2009 JJ Demons (Stanmore Bay);

It's a nice story - but I'll give you two words why people no longer to stop to help out in domestic violence etc: Austin Hemmings.
 
BigbadSue (Pakuranga)
Forget blaming police for crime, it's the public who commit crimes, from graffiti to murder, drunk driving, bank robberies etc. The police only are expected to catch the morons and the fluffy nanajudges then "punish" them.

Many of us don't even want the police to have tazers or guns, what are they supposed to use? Whistles? Or mark their heads with chalk like overparked cars? We demand violence on TV and rented videos, show crazy car driving also.

Then sell liquor to young pinheads, who get fonged and ape this stuff; we say "Dear dear what has gone wrong? I know! Lets blame the police" Well, try blaming ourselves, we set the examples, make the laws and appoint the judges.

ugustus mccrae (Wanganui)
I am an American psychologist. We are legal permanent residents of NZ who will no longer live there because of the crime and corruption, which is laced throughout the society.

The police are dangerously secretive (read gestapo) and involved in the worst crimes. They help fence stolen merchandise and the meth culture could not exist without their massive complicity in it.

The judicial system is riddled with myopic snobs who are quite busy feathering their own nests and feeding nonsense to a sheeplike citizenry bent on its own destruction through ignorance and denial of the glaring facts.

Children are very sensitive to the hypocrisy and cowardice of their elders. And NZ children have the highest suicide rates in the world. Anyone denying the extraordinarily high crime rate in NZ, which includes violence and rape,should avail themselves of the stats collected by the UN and repeated on such sites as United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention); www.nationmaster.com. I wish we had before we invested time and money in this pathetic country.

Truth Seeker (Royal Oak)
Crime is a problem in NZ, and disregard for people and property can be observed daily in many parts of Auckland. In my area there is luckily not that much crime, but then again most crime in NZ is not really seen, as it goes on behind walls in houses and also commercial buildings.

The problem I see is that many citizens simply do not like to get involved, even when they see some crimes or minor offences take place. I was once on a bus and saw a young Maori guy board the bus with a hammer in the hand, which he swung at another two Maori youth he obviously had an issue with.

Luckily he did not hit anyone and ran off before the bus took off. I approached the driver of Asian background and asked him to call the police. He simply shrugged his shoulders and did not want to get involved. He had the cheek to tell me to call the cops! Others in the bus simply sat there and looked away.

This is Auckland nowadays, and when criminals or hoons know they get away like that, then they will simply exploit any situation. People complain justifiedly about the poor response time of the police. But if everybody would show a bit more courage and stand up for the law, we would not have half the crime!

Wolfman (Christchurch)
Crime is a major problem in this country, after living in Aust for 23 years and coming back here I can't believe what I walked into. I have even had my own family steal from me and the police don't want to know about it, they say it is a civil matter, WTF?

We are talking about thousands of dollars here, but nothing is done. The major problem is this country has weak PC Nanny Politicians and Judges. Too much time is spent on appeasing the Rights of Criminals instead of victims.

vinkredible (Manurewa)
No, its not crime that's the problem, its the justice system. The age-old tradition of handing down limp-wristed penalties for crime has caught up, and now every crim and his dog can smell a free-for-all.

The police are no help either, focusing almost solely on revenue gathering with ticketing speeders and cellphone users, instead of answering the call to a burglary or assault. No, instead they have the taxi's go to investigate.

NZ is a beautiful country and i love it, but i feel everyone who isnt a politician or isnt well-heeled, is getting raped, by those very people. Which is about 90% of us.
Its just a shame we're all sheep. Cos otherwise something would be done about it.

Huggiebear (Ellerslie)
Crime is thriving in this country, thankfully very little in my street, except the drug house across the road lived in by bogans, but the worst problem really is only loud music and boy racers dragging up and down the street (No amount of legislation will stop them).

The Police are too busy collecting tickes and getting fines out to people to care about REAL crime. They only hang around ghetto areas as they believe thats where most crime is. I don't feel that safe in my own country, when the Police can't find a womens body locked in a car after 2 days and a little girl theres a huge search for a week, and her body is found in a drain because the parents can't be bothered supervising her. Police need to get their priorities straight.

Vigilante groups may be the only way to tackle crime.

mchaggis (Hibiscus Coast)
Crime is a very serious problem in NZ, to the extent that criminals literally get away with murder! One of the many reasons crime is so bad here, is the fact that there are not enough front line police officers out there doing the job of preventing crime and pursuing criminals in the community. This is through no fault of the police, but is the result of government cutbacks to save a few dollars here and there.

Political correctness is another reason crime is allowed to run rampant out there. I'm sure PC has a huge influence over the police, in affecting their ability to be able to pursue criminals to the full extent of the law. At the same time, when the police do make an arrest, PC again rears its ugly head in the justice system, when judges are unable to apply affective correction procedures as punishment!

Not enough police officers working the beat in the community, along with political correctness, are the main reasons crime is so prevalent these days! This is an issue the government needs to address promptly!"

 
See also: Stats pages
Today's posts - click here

Tongan Ferry Inquiry Underway: "Doomed Ferry 'Safe' Says NZ Buyer"

 In August we wrote about the tragedy that occured when the Ferry, Princess Ashika, sank in Tonga and of how Daniel Macmillan, originally from Islay in Scotland and a permanent resident of New Zealand, was amongst the many souls who were sadly lost that day.

The Royal Commission has now commenced its inquiry and it has emerged that a New Zealander involved with the purchase of the vessel had' no experience of shipping' before he joined the Shipping Corporation. This is by Micheal Field fromStuff.co.nz:

"A New Zealander who made the decision for the Tongan government to buy the doomed ferry Princess Ashika claims he honestly believed the ship was in good condition. The ferry sank earlier this year with the loss of 74 people.

A royal commission of inquiry is underway into the sinking and in its opening days heard evidence from experts Mosese Fakatou, Manase Katoa and Sateki Tupou, who showed evidence of extensive rusting with more than 80 photos of the disrepair.

Napier-born former Christchurch businessman John Jonesse, now manager of the government-owned Shipping Corporation [of Polynesia (SCP) Ltd]  bought the 37-year-old ferry in Fiji.

Counsel assisting the commission, Manuel Varitimos, asked Jonesse if he "honestly believe that MV Princess Ashika was in good condition?" "Yes sir," Jonesse replied.

He said he was pivotal in contributing information for the purchase. He said he had told the board that the ship was well maintained in Fiji.

Varitimos put it to Jonesse that the 80 photos and evidence was "quite damning" on the condition of the ship. "Some of the evidence given could be interpreted that way, yes, sir, but I also would be reliant on the information provided by surveyors," Jonesse said.

He agreed that before joining the Shipping Corporation he had no shipping experience. Jonesse said Princess Ashika was in a "good mechanical condition". He said he relied on experts on the status of the rest of the ship.

Varitimos pressured him on whether the ship was in a good condition. "In the light of the disaster that occurred, that we can't underrate, sir, and the tragedy as a result, you'd have to concede that, sir," Jonesse replied.

Counsel said it would be "patently false and misleading" to suggest the ship was in good condition, but Jonesse continued to claim it was in a good mechanical condition. He said it was seaworthy when it left port.

It was put to him that the sides and hull of the ship were heavily corroded. "The sides, yes, sir. That doesn't necessarily cover the whole hull." Jonesse said he became aware that Princess Ashika was built for use on the Inland Sea in Japan. He did not agree it was built for smooth water.

"Well, I've been on the Inland Sea and seen substantial waves, sir, in that area."
The ship when in Fiji operation had been authorised to carry 160 passengers and crew, but Jonesse agreed that on the fatal night it had about 180 aboard.

Varitimos submitted that in Fiji the ship had been taken out of service because it was in a poor state. Jonesse did not agree.

Asked if he saw it in Fiji and that it was "littered with rust and corrosion" Jonesse said "there was some rust, yes, sir, and there was corrosion...."
The commission continues its deliberations."

Mr Jonesse is the Chief Executive and Managing Director of the Polynesian Shipping Corporation. According to 3 News "he was the only individual who looked at the vessel before it was purchased from the Patterson Brothers in Fiji. It has now been revealed that no marine survey was carried out and no one from the transport department inspected the vessel either"

In August Stuff also reported:

"John Jonesse has been accused of ignoring crucial defects in the ship found by both the ship's master and Tongan Maritime School lecturer Willie Vi.
Vi told 3 News last night that he had prepared a draft report for Jonesse saying the vessel was unsuitable for Tongan waters and highlighting problems such as no lashings in the cargo area of the ferry, no seals over the loading ramps, rusted platforms and holes.
Jonesse said he fixed lashings to the vessel and dismissed Vi's report as just a draft.
Jonesse told The Press last night that he was "under the hammer" from the New Zealand media, but the Tongan press was supportive."

For the latest posts on his topic see Princess Ashika tags
Today's posts - click here

80% Of People Think That Crime Is a Serious Problem In New Zealand

 But it's someone else's problem, according a Victoria University survey, Not in my backyard? Crime in the Neighbourhood, conducted by Institute of Criminology director Associate Professor Michael Rowe. This is taken from an write up by Alanah May Ericson in today's NZ Herald newspaper:

"New Zealanders can recognise crime in other areas, but prefer to dismiss it as part of everyday life in their own, a study suggests.

The study focused on four areas - Murrays Bay on Auckland's North Shore, Otahuhu in South Auckland, Westown in New Plymouth and Havelock North in Hawkes Bay. They were selected for their varying socio-economic status, demographic profile and police-recorded crime rates.
The survey found that while more than 80 per cent of respondents agreed - or strongly agreed - crime was a serious problem in New Zealand, 63.2 per cent believed it was a problem only in other areas.

.. many respondents were defensive of the community to the point of dismissing problems such as public drunkenness by young people as a "rite of passage" and not something of a wider concern.

Some expressed sympathy for young people they believed had limited options in terms of social and leisure activities, suggesting they were at times over-policed.
One laughed off finding comatose teenagers in her yard at weekends."We find people sleeping in our agapanthus every Saturday night. You know that's normal behaviour for Havelock North and teenagers."(ed. Normal?!)

How serious a problem is crime in New Zealand, how widespread is it? you decide for yourself. Here is a round up of some high profile crimes hitting the news over the last week, they include 5 armed hold ups.

• New Zealand's youngest convicted killer Bailey Junior Kurariki, was back in court this week for assault and property damage charges. These are the latest of a string of offences since he was released from prison last year after being involved in the killing of a pizza delivery man in Papakura, Auckland.

• 4 Masked men held up an Armourgard van with a shotgun as it made a delivery to an ANZ bank in Huntly.

• A man was released on bail in connection with murder of a man in Massey, Auckland.

• Assault chrages were withdrawn for two members of a  vigilante group who patrolled Martinborough at night after a spate of burglaries in the town.
  

• Christopher Shaw, currently on trial at the High Court in Timaru, boasted "he had hunted all his life, had been shooting since he was 3 and "could have sniped every one of those cops"

• 550 Toyota vans have been stolen in an 18 month period by an international car theft ring operating in South Auckland
  

• A Christchurch pedophile with a long history of offending has just escaped a preventative jail term.

•  The Travelex in Hamilton was help up, it was the fourth robbery of a financial institution in the city during October.

• The NZ Credit Union Office in  Laurence Stevens Drive, South Auckland was help up at gunpoint.

• A young woman was indecently assaulted in Palmerston North.

• The Heu Heu St Credit Union in Taupo was held up at gunpoint

• Motueka police are concerned over a spate of minor arson and vandalism in the town. It appears the offenders were young and often intoxicated.

• Gordon Hieatt appeared in court in connection with the murder of Nuttidar Vaikaew in Western Springs, Auckland.

• A woman from Marton has been arrested for attempting to smuggle cannabis into Manawatu Prison

• The Mill Liquorsave in Taradale was held up and a worker was stabbed in the chest with a knife

• A Palmerston North student's dreams of being a fashion designer suffered a serious setback after thieves stole her car, phots, clothes and a year's worth of assignments. 
  

• 'Gansta kids' in South Auckland who offend have been called chameleons because they still attend church with their parents.
  

• Wini Miria Te Maia McLean was discovered dead at a premises Te Kuiti. She had been the victim of "multiple assaults"

• 2 Year old Karl Perigo-Check, son of an alleged mob member, died from critical injuries in Wanganui.

• A date was set for the trial of Gregory Meads,who is accused of shooting his wife in Matamata.

• Azees Mahomed is on trial for one charge of murder and one of causing an infant grievous bodily harm. She and her husband are also accused of failing to provide their daughter Tahani with the necessaries of life. They lived in South Auckland.

• The trial of a Christchurch taxi driver on a charge of rape has been adjourned. Mohammed Darwesh faced three charges of indecent assault, three of abduction for the purpose of sex, and one of rape, involving three girls. Two were aged 17 and one was aged 16 at the time of the alleged offences.

• Tony Worrell is on trial for the murder of a woman in Auckland, it is alleged he was heavily under the influence of alcohol and that he deliberately drove his car into hers. (He was later found guilty)
  

• A 17 year old youth admitted a charge of grevious bodily harm after  bashing an off-duty policeman outside a party in Hastings.

• A woman pleaded guilty to child cruelty at the High Court in Auckland.

• Two teenagers aged 17 and 18 have been jailed for a burglary spree in Nelson, Richmond and Motueka that left a trail of distraught victims.
  

• A hunter from Motukarara, south of Christchurch has been fined $8,500 for shooting rare and protected swans.

Further reading, see tags Crime and Armed Robberies.