With crime at a 35-year low, National is building a safer New Zealand.
We have passed new laws on tougher sentencing, bail, and parole; and we have given more support to victims of crime, and put 600 more Police on the beat.
With the introduction of Neighbourhood Policing Teams, smartphones and tablets for frontline officers, we are making sure that the Police spend more time on crime prevention in their neighbourhoods, and less time on paperwork in the office.
Four Priorities
Delivering better public services is one of National’s four priorities for this term in Government, and we set challenging targets for crime – to reduce the total crime rate by 15%, violent crime by 20%, and youth crime by 25% by 2017.
We have already exceeded two of those targets.
Since the base period of June 2011, the recorded crime rate has fallen 17%, violent crime by 11%, and youth crime rate by 33%. Therefore, we will increase the total crime reduction target to 20% reduction.
The recent Salvation Army Report acknowledges the National Government’s work.
In its latest report, it said that seven years ago, more children were at risk, more young people were involved with petty crime, there was more violent crime, and more people in jail and continuing educational inequality.
This National-led Government has focused on preventing crime, supporting victims, and developing better, modern, more accessible justice services.
Prisoner Rehabilitation
We want to keep the most serious, high-risk, repeat offenders behind bars, and keep offenders away from their victims.
We will create a civil enforcement regime and takedown orders for cyber-bullying, and create harsher penalties for producing, trading, or possessing objectionable publications, such as the sexual abuse of children online.
National is also investing in prisoner rehabilitation, as most prisoners are released back into communities. If we can give them the means to change their lives while they are in prison, there is a greater chance that they will stay away from crime after release.
Addiction treatment
More prisoners now have access to drug and alcohol treatment for their addictions, and to education and training programmes, giving them their best opportunity of contributing positively to their community.
National has been working hard to ensure our communities are safer for everyone.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi has been Member of Parliament on National List since 2008. He was appointed Chairman of the Law & Order Committee of Parliament on February 11, 2015.
