[ad_1]
Stuff
Perception doesn’t always match reality when it comes to the rate of ram raids and other crimes.
Newsable is brought to you by BNZ.
The classic election year “law and order auction” requires far more context, an expert in the area tells Newsable this morning.
Trevor Bradley, a criminologist at Victoria University of Wellington, says the headlines of ram raids and daylight smash ‘n grabs don’t paint a countrywide picture.
“[For] those neighbourhoods that have been affected by some of the more serious offences over the last year or so, and I’m referring to some of the shootings, of course those types of incidents really shake people up, they shake the neighbourhood up,” he says.
“But it’s very difficult to say how extensive that is and to what extent it expands or extends beyond [the] immediate vicinity and those immediate neighbourhoods.”
Opposition politicians are known to claim that every person they talk to says they feel unsafe, but Bradley says that rhetoric is unhelpful.
“In an ideal world we would put things into context, we would explain things properly.”
READ MORE:
* Whangārei community calls for action on violent crime after petrol station death
* Watch: CCTV video shows group of teens minutes before Newmarket car park blaze
* Labels like ‘soft’ and ‘tough’ on crime are meaningless
He also says it contradicts the annual New Zealand Crime Victims Survey, which gives a sense of people’s perceptions.
“There’s not [been] a very significant change in the last couple of years with the findings of those surveys,” he tells Newsable.
“It’s very easy to say that the New Zealand public are now much more fearful of crime, but we don’t actually have a lot of evidence about that.”
Newsable is Stuff’s daily news podcast, wrapping up what’s worth talking about in a short package every weekday morning. You can find new episodes and more detail on our stories here or in our newsletter. Make sure to like and follow us wherever you get your podcasts and across Instagram and TikTok.
[ad_2]