NCJ Number
178203
Journal
Crime and Justice International Volume: 15 Issue: 30 & 31 Dated: July/August 1999 Pages: 30-31
Editor(s)
Richard H. Ward
Date Published
1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Recorded crime in New Zealand declined 2.5 percent from the 473,547 offenses in 1997 to 461,667 offenses in 1998.
Abstract
Commissioner Peter Doone attributes this result to the commitment of police personnel, and wider efforts of the community and partner agencies, and additional frontline staff provided by the government. The Commissioner also noted that the rate of resolution of crimes increased slightly to 37.9 percent of all investigations. Total violent crimes remained relatively stable over most offense categories; robberies declined 1.4 percent, and serious assaults declined 2.5 percent. Serious assaults, kidnapping, and abduction increased. Sex offenses increased 2.3 percent; these offenses declined by nearly 17 percent over the last 5 years after increasing by more than 44.5 percent over the previous 5 years. Drug law offenses and antisocial offenses increased 6 percent in 1998. Offenses under the Domestic Violence Act increased 28.4 percent. A new organizational performance group in the Office of the Commissioner will examine factors other than crime statistics for measuring police effectiveness. Figures and photographs