Too many people, especially dairy and liquor store owner/operators are living in fear. I have spoken to many who open up their shops each morning anxious that burglars will make an appearance – or reappearance – to rob and assault them. Many suffer from the trauma of brutal attacks, broken limbs, a violation of privacy and are unable to reopen their shop for months. This results in additional anxiety caused by mounting bills that can’t be repaid.
Rising crime must be addressed, there’s no doubt about that – but what’s the best way to do it? Tougher punishments or a combination of community policing and addressing the drivers of crime?There is significant evidence that points to the latter as being more effective.
Research from the United States, known for its harsh approach to addressing crime, shows that lengthening sentences only led to higher incarceration rates and not a reduction in crime. A 2014 report commissioned by the US Justice Department noted that the certainty of being caught was a more effective deterrent of crime. We would get that with a strong community policing model.
Instead, we have a government that grudgingly increased the number of Police– by 880, which the Police say is insufficient to address growing crime – and is shutting down community Police stations nationwide.
We also need to address the underlying factors that lead people to offend. There is a wealth of international evidence that concludes there are specific risk factors associated with criminal offending; projects that tackle these risk factors achieve significant reductions in crime.
Risk factors include relative poverty and inadequate housing; inconsistent or insufficient parental or guardian guidance; limited social and cognitive abilities; exclusion from school; family violence; few opportunities for employment and economic exclusion; gang involvement and drug and alcohol addiction.
No single risk factor leads a young person to offending, but there’s a much higher chance that they will offend if multiple risk factors are present and there’s limited assistance to overcome those challenges.
New Zealand currently tops the developed world when it comes to family violence and youth suicide. A recent UNICEF report that tracks countries’ progress on goals such as reducing child poverty, inequality and deprivation placed New Zealand near the bottom of a list of developed countries. The current National government has increased spending on prisons and cut spending in real terms on housing, health, education and the Police.
Some criminals do need to be sentenced for life. However, the majority of criminals are opportunistic and present with multiple risk factors. Therefore, to make a significant dent in crime statistics we need to address the underlying risk factors and make sure offenders are caught.