Jobless linked to crime

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 2

Jobless linked to crime

PA Wellington Latest crime figures showed a link between crime, unemployment and race, said the Opposition spokesman on the police, Mr John Banks, yesterday.

Reported crime figures for the year ended June show serious violent crimes rose 26.3 per cent and serious sexual offences 7.9 per cent. Over-all reported crime rose 1.9 per cent, after a drop of 3.5 per cent for the year ended June, 1987. Mr Banks said that in many parts of New Zealand a siege mentality had developed: “Many decent, lawabiding citizens, especb ally 'the -- elderly;" are afraid to walk the streets by day and feel the need to barricade themselves in their homes at night,” he said. “Crime was both a racial and a social problem. “The statistical correlation between unemployment and criminal behaviour is stark in its reality,” he said. “In my home province of Northland we have the highest unemployment in New Zealand.

“Every second young Maori is on the dole and very significantly we have the highest level of Maori criminal offending. “In Northland seven out of every 10 people locked up for violence are Maori.” The long-term fight against crime needed a new direction in both welfare and education policies as they related to young people, Mr Banks said.