Crime in New Zealand

Crime in New Zealand is of strong interest to the public and is measured by the number of offenses being reported per 100,000 people. Newspapers and television tend to sensationalise violent crime in particular which leads to fear of crime and misperceptions by the public that crime is increasing . The graph on the right shows crime has been on the decline in New Zealand since the early 1990s.

History

Crime rates in New Zealand rose through most of the twentieth century following similar patterns in other western countries. Towards the end of the century, the rate slowed down and there has been much speculation about the causes of the turnaround. Whether the crime rate was rising or falling, New Zealand has also followed the pattern of many western countries by locking up more and more of its citizens. In October 2010, the rate of imprisonment was 199 per 100,000 of population giving New Zealand the second highest rate of imprisonment in the West. The United States is the only western democracy with a higher rate of imprisonment - at over 730 per 100,000.

Professor John Pratt of Victoria University in Wellington says the growing rate of imprisonment in these countries has been driven by penal populism whereby the major political parties compete to be 'tough on crime'. The process is fuelled by victims groups like the Sensible Sentencing Trust vilifying judges, politicians and the Parole Board for failing to lock offenders up or keep them in prison. The news media contribute to penal populism by sensationalising violent crime and seeking out victims representatives like Garth McVicar for comment.

In July 2009 Sian Elias, the Chief Justice defied convention and caused controversy with her speech for the annual Shirley Smith address to the Wellington District Law Society, arguing against what she described as the "punitive and knee-jerk" attitude towards the criminal justice system. In response, Minister of Justice Simon Power said "The Government is elected to set sentencing policy. Judges are appointed to apply it." Sensible Sentencing Trust's Garth McVicar stated Elias should resign because of her stance but academics and lawyers lent support to the points raised in her speech.

Crime statistics

New Zealand Police publish monthly statistics for a range of crime indicators as well as statistical reports for each calendar (ending 31 December) and fiscal (ending 30 June) year. Historically, New Zealand Police has published crime statistics either in or with its annual reports, from as early as 1900.

Statistics New Zealand also publish recorded crime statistics, based on Police data, in a web application that can produce statistical tables for each offence code. Statistics New Zealand also publishes the results of its own research and analysis of crime statistics, based on data from Police, the Ministry of Justice and its own surveys.

From 1 July 2010, statistics for the New Zealand Justice sector began using the Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC) to classify and aggregate offence statistics.

The Ministry of Justice has conducted Crime and Safety Surveys in 2006 and 2009 to assess victimisation rate in New Zealand, as well as other research about crime in New Zealand. These surveys suggest that less than a third of crime disclosed in New Zealand victimisation surveys is reported to Police although the reason most of the crime that is not reported is because the victim does not consider it crime or that the Police were unable to help. These findings are consistent with victimisation surveys in other similar countries such as Australia, Britain and the USA.

According to the 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, New Zealand is the least corrupt nation in the world.

Legislation

Unlike English law, New Zealand has codified it criminal law through legislation. Most criminal offences that would result in imprisonment if committed in New Zealand are set out in the:

• Crimes Act 1961, including the Crimes (Repeal of Seditious Offences) Amendment Act 2007
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1975

although criminal offences related to specific situations also appear in other legislation. Less serious breaches of the law are dealt with under legislation such as:

• Summary Offences Act 1981
• Land Transport Act 1998

where penalties are more often a fine rather than imprisonment.

Law enforcement

Several agencies enforce New Zealand criminal law, although the Police have an overarching role. Fisheries, Immigration, Organised Crime, Serious Fraud, Aviation and Border Security all have dedicated enforcement agencies. In addition to Police, road controlling authorities, such as local city or district councils, have the power to enforce their own parking by-laws.

Police force

Main article: New Zealand Police

The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand. The Police frequently co-operate with other enforcement agencies both on a case by case basis and also through multi-agency taskforces targeted at Organised and Transnational Crime.

Notable criminals

See also: Category:New Zealand criminals

Some of the notable criminals in New Zealand include:

• Minnie Dean, found guilty of infanticide and was the only woman to be hanged in New Zealand
• Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis
• Stanley Graham
• David Gray, responsible for the Aramoana massacre
• Jules Mikus
• Hamiora Pere, the only New Zealander ever to be executed for treason
• Bert Potter, the former spiritual leader of the Centrepoint commune
• Scott Watson
• Simon Allan Kerr, career criminal, and leader of 1980's infamous "Hole in the wall gang"
• Marty Johnstone, Mr. Asia

Notable crimes

• The Völkner Incident (1865)
• The Maungatapu murders (1866)
• The Parker–Hulme murder (1954)
• The Bassett Road machine gun murders (1963)
• The Harvey and Jeanette Crewe murders (1970)
• The case involving the rape of Louise Nicholas (crime in 1984, case heard in 2006)
• Murder of Urban Höglin and Heidi Paakkonen (1989)
• Aramoana massacre (1990)
• The Bain family murders, of which David Bain was initially accused (1995)
• The murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope (1997/98)
• Chris and Cru Kahui murders (2006)
• Murder of Liam Ashley (2006)
• Wainuiomata Mākutu Lifting (2007)
• Nia Glassie abuse case (2007)
• Murder of Sophie Elliott (2008)
• Murder of Mallory Manning (2008)

Terrorism

Main article: Terrorism in New Zealand

Terrorism in New Zealand is relatively uncommon, although a small number of cases exist.

Crime related organisations

• Rethinking Crime and Punishment
• Howard League for Penal Reform Canterbury
• Sensible Sentencing Trust
• Neighbourhood Support

See also

• Corruption in New Zealand
• Gangs in New Zealand
• List of correctional facilities in New Zealand
• List of countries by incarceration rate

Further reading

• Newbold, Greg (2000). Crime in New Zealand. New Plymouth NZ: Dunmore Press. ISBN 0864693486. 

External links

• New Zealand Police
• Statistics New Zealand – Crime in New Zealand page
• New Zealand Criminal Markets