We've all heard the claims by government MP's that the crime rate is declining. They even say that it's a result of their good stewardship, waxing lyrical about just what a wonderful government they are because there's apparently less crime.
However their claims are thoroughly false, with the true reason for a decline in the amount of prosecutions for family violence being a lack of proper funding for police.
Today, Radio NZ reported:
Isn't that an inconvenient truth for the government. Not only is there more family violence since they came to power in 2008, the perpetrators aren't being prosecuted appropriately. Police are simply choosing not to press charges because they don't have the funds.
That means in many cases there's no proper justice for the victims either, who will often be trapped in an abusive situation because the police aren't able to do their jobs properly.
The report continues:
That's an increase of 56% of sexual offences and a 62% increase for sexual offences against children. If that's not a clear indication that things are getting worse and not better I don't know what is.
Not only has the government caused social conditions to worsen thus increasing the amount of stress people have which is directly linked to violence, they've also ensured that the true extent of family and sexual violence isn't being properly assessed or addressed.
In my opinion those statistics are another good reason to change the government come September 2014.
However their claims are thoroughly false, with the true reason for a decline in the amount of prosecutions for family violence being a lack of proper funding for police.
Today, Radio NZ reported:
Funding blamed for fewer prosecutions
Police are having to abandon some prosecutions because of a lack of funding - not only for police but for the whole justice sector, the Criminal Bar Association says.
New figures show that in 2013, police started an average of 260 new investigations of family violence every day but fewer than 40 percent of them were recorded as offences.
Figures from the Family Violence Clearinghouse show 95,080 family violence investigations were launched in 2013 but, of those investigations, only 37,880 were recorded as offences.
Isn't that an inconvenient truth for the government. Not only is there more family violence since they came to power in 2008, the perpetrators aren't being prosecuted appropriately. Police are simply choosing not to press charges because they don't have the funds.
That means in many cases there's no proper justice for the victims either, who will often be trapped in an abusive situation because the police aren't able to do their jobs properly.
The report continues:
The Clearinghouse data showed that between 2005 and 2013, the number of sexual offences against adults reported to police increased from 1187 to 1848.
The number of reported sexual offences against children increased from 1278 to 2071 in the same period.
That's an increase of 56% of sexual offences and a 62% increase for sexual offences against children. If that's not a clear indication that things are getting worse and not better I don't know what is.
Not only has the government caused social conditions to worsen thus increasing the amount of stress people have which is directly linked to violence, they've also ensured that the true extent of family and sexual violence isn't being properly assessed or addressed.
In my opinion those statistics are another good reason to change the government come September 2014.
