A few of us have chipped in to review the performances of the government in major areas. We’re looking at whether the facts back up the promises that National made to get elected. Let’s have a look at crime/law & order. Rightwing governments are always big on scaring the middle-class about crims and promising solutions. Has National delivered?
By the numbers:
Crime Rate
Number of recorded crimes in year to July 2008: 426,690
Number unresolved: 226,301
Number of recorded crimes in year to July 2010: 441,960
Number unresolved: 229,399
So, not only more crimes (1.4% per capita) but more unsolved too. If Treasury’s optimistic outlook for lower unemployment turns out to be correct, we might expect crime to drop a little next year. But it won’t be due to anything the government has done.
Prisons
Number of people on prison sentence, Sept 2008: 6,231
Number of people on prison sentence, Sept 2010: 6,967
Locking more people up isn’t solving the problem
Law and order
Number of new police promised by Judith Collins and John Key: 600
Number delivered, according Deputy Police Commissioner Viv Rickard: 30
Number of new offences created by National government: more than we could count
Number of cars crushed thanks to Crusher Collins: zero
Analysis
There are more cops on the beat today than when National came to power but it is mostly because Labour funded the increase in 2008. National has tried to better Labour’s shameful record by imprisoning even more New Zealanders, especially by sending more and more less serious offenders into these crime universities.
But, as anyone with a bit of sense could tell you, more cops and more people in prison hasn’t stopped crime. Offences have risen on the back of higher poverty driven by higher unemployment.
It beggars belief that Collins myth-making about herself is bought by so many. Only last week the Dom said she should be Defence Minister and joked “without tanks she could be a useful addition to our arsenal.” Well, maybe if you want those rubber tanks they used to fool the Germans.
She acts tough but that’s it – just an act. If the Beehive’s central heating ever breaks down, they can use ‘Crusher’ as a source of hot air with all those ‘stern messages’ coming out of that face botoxed into a scowl.
What other minister has talked so big and not only failed to deliver but let things get worse under their watch? Oh, yeah, her boss.
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