Serious crime up across the country

Leader of the Opposition and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges. File photo.

With growing reports of gang tensions, drug crime and shootings, National can reveal the number of serious harm cases before the courts has increased by 25 per cent since the election, Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges says.

'Serious harm cases include rape, sexual assault, murder, manslaughter and drug crimes,” says Simon.

'As a former Crown Prosecutor, husband and father, I find these figures completely unacceptable. Our communities are now being directly affected by a Government that is more focused on reducing prison numbers than reducing serious crime in our communities.

'The statistics show crime is increasing and cases aren't moving through the courts as quickly. Slow moving justice has the biggest impact on victims and that's not fair on people who have already been through serious trauma.

'Despite the fact that more serious crimes are happening at the same time the prison population is decreasing. Labour's soft on crime approach means fewer serious offenders are being held to account. We also know there are fewer Police on the beat than was promised.

'Nationally, cases of serious harm are up 25 per cent, in Auckland 20 per cent, Waitakere 35 per cent, Wellington 32 per cent and Christchurch 40 per cent.

'The Government has taken its eye off reducing crime and is focusing on just getting numbers in prison down. I'm hearing from the frontline that youth offenders in particular are being caught by Police for serious offending, and are sometimes back on the street within hours, committing more serious offences.

'The focus National had on early intervention and stopping crime before it happens just isn't there under this Government.

'The Government isn't doing its job properly if there are more serious and violent offenders in our communities.

'Being safe in your home and community is a key part of wellbeing,” says Simon.

'National is tough on crime and we put victims at the heart of our criminal justice system.”

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3 comments

So

Posted on 26-05-2019 14:20 | By Merlin

So why did you close some community police stations and not increase police numbers more.At least this government is picking up the numbers of getting more police on the beat.


It's Simple maths Simple Simon

Posted on 26-05-2019 15:43 | By Bruja

In the decade your massively damaging National government was last in office YOU allowed HALF A MILLION people to come here! Simple maths even you can understand Simple Simon. Yep, and it's the reason that homelessness is up, and roads are clogged and hospitals and schools are at breaking point! It's because YOUR LOT didn't do the maths! Oh sorry, yepo you all did the maths to just put a heap of dollars into the bank accounts of yourselves and the rest of the top 5% in this country while the rest of us were just kicked to the curb or uteerly disregarded altogether. Go away Simon.


This is...

Posted on 29-05-2019 16:53 | By morepork

… Simon doing his job and doing it well. If these figures are correct (and we have to believe they are) then the government IS failing in regards to crime. "Wet Bus Ticket" sentences leave us feeling uncomfortable. Being soft on crime is not the proper position for a government we can trust. It's time the root causes of crime in the community were addressed and schools and colleges start getting kids on the road to proper ethical behaviour. Graeme Dingle, FYD, and Kids Can all do fantastic work in this area and the government should be supporting them and using them as models to expand their programs. To reduce crime you need to change people's minds about wanting to be criminal. It is NOT impossible. Brushing it under the carpet is not a solution.


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