Aim for less crime in the Bay

The Government is aiming to see 45,000 fewer crimes in the country each year from 2017 with the introduction of its Better Public Services justice sector targets.

Prime Minister John Key announced targets to reduce overall crime by 15 per cent, violent crime by 20 per cent and youth crime by five per cent over the next five years as part of the Government’s Better Public Services programme.

In the Bay of Plenty the number of recorded assaults has been decreasing, with 4360 in 2009, 4194 in 2010 and 4053 in 2011.

Total crime in the Western Bay of Plenty dropped in 2011, with the area recording a 13.8 per cent reduction in recorded crime.

According to the latest police crime statistics, the Western Bay of Plenty lead the downward trend in the greater BOP region, which overall recorded a decrease of 5.6 per cent with a total of 36,534 offences in 2011.

Rotorua recorded a five per cent decrease but the two other Bay of Plenty police regions, Taupo and the Eastern Bay of Plenty, recorded increases in crime.

Taupo’s crime went up by 0.6 per cent with 46 reported crimes, while the Eastern Bay residents have expended their criminal activity by 8.2 per cent with 439 reported crimes.

A total of 36,534 offences were recorded in the Bay of Plenty police district, a reduction of 2167 offences from the 2010 calendar year.

Among these robbery, extortion and related offences dropped by 26.7 per cent and acts intending to cause injury were down 3.3 per cent – 140 fewer than 2010.

There was also less abduction, harassment and other related offending.

Justice Minister Judith Collins says the Government wants to achieve the targets and reduce reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017.

“Progress against these targets will be reported on regularly. New Zealanders can monitor how the justice sector is doing and hold us accountable.”

Judith says the achievements during the past few years – with less crime and fewer people in courts and prisons – puts the justice sector in a good position to make progress toward the targets.

“Fewer people moving through the justice system means the sector can shift focus and resource from dealing with growth to improving effectiveness.”

She says justice sector ministers, agencies and chief executives will continue to work closely together to target agencies’ collective resources toward getting the best possible results. 

For more on the targets read 45,000 fewer crimes a year by 2017.