Michael Bassett Article Index

14 March 2006

Several titillating newspaper columns have recently been devoted to bail rules, rising prisoner numbers, gaols, and the lack of criminal rehabilitation: "I‘m not reformed!" boasts Lily-Bing‘s killer. Special pleaders push pet theories. However, no journalist seems game to tackle the cause of the growing problems faced by the Police, the justice system, and the wider community that relies on their protection. Why do gangs fight openly in suburban streets and small towns? Why do the Police fail to follow up on most burglaries or smash and grab raids? Why do calls by gas stations with the registration numbers of cars stealing expensive petrol get no Police response? Why do many ordinary people feel they have no option but to take the law into their own hands?

The answer to these questions is that there is no political, journalistic or Police willpower to explore such uncomfortable issues. Journalists these days are captives of the fatal fallacy that societies, not individuals, cause crime. They think it politically incorrect to question minority cultural practices that invariably produce young offenders. Politicians are scared of offending the Police who, when stirred, can become a potent force during elections. Neither National nor Labour seems ready to tackle the huge crime sub-culture that is chewing away at core social and community values in this country like a tumour within. I hasten to say that New Zealand isn‘t alone in this regard. I read recently of a constable in Bournemouth, England, writing to shop keepers telling them not to bother reporting shoplifting crimes involving goods valued at less than £75 ($185). Turn a blind eye and invariably the crime sub-culture expands.

It ‘s odd that many folk seem so little concerned at this erosion of the values that hold communities together, especially since the cause of so much anti-social behaviour stares them in the face. Take gangs, for example. They had their origin in the early 1970s and resulted mostly from excessive numbers of Maori and Pacific Island children suddenly finding themselves in a confined urban environment. Household over-crowding and schools unable to cope with the rapid influx created street kids. But it took inadequate parental care to turn this into crime. They fecklessly failed to deal with truancy. Burglaries provided street kids with money and excitement. The mushrooming beneficiary culture of the seventies boosted their numbers; gangs matured and were soon involved in organised crime. Drugs followed. The problem tracks back to surplus kids and irresponsible parents. Britain and France are also experiencing minority cultures over-breeding while refusing to acculturate into societies that have given them a second chance. All governments seem too scared to face up to basic problems.

Rapid social changes over thirty years caught the Police flatfooted. In most countries they have been under-resourced, and priorities inadequately directed. Burglaries, shop-lifting and graffiti flourish because they aren‘t prosecuted. The old nostrum that we need more community constables is no longer enough. Meanwhile the cops concentrate on catching speedsters, often for trivial infringements. Our new Police Minister, Annette King, has announced a review of the Police Act. Good. And there‘ll soon be a new Police Commissioner too. Wonderful opportunity for top-to-toe reviews of Police priorities and effectiveness. Let‘s investigate what was known as the "broken windows" policy in New York where Police resources were directed towards catching first offenders and nipping careers of crime in the bud. The greatest deterrent has always been the likelihood of getting caught. Some commentators question the effectiveness of "zero tolerance", preferring alternative schemes in other cities. All need examination. However, it isn‘t clear from Ms King ‘s announcement whether radical Police re-prioritisation is a possibility. Sadly, National has had little to say.

Let ‘s be clear. Coming to grips with crime is a world-wide challenge. First, it involves holding individuals accountable for their actions. Reminding parents about how many offspring they can care for is fundamental. Parents must answer for the anti-social activities of unsupervised children. Providing options for young offenders is central to crime busting, too. It could well be that schemes like the Civilian Conservation Corps introduced by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression, where the army helped train young men, could inculcate the life skills and discipline that so many parents (and social workers) have conspicuously failed to do. Labour‘s Norman Kirk talked about this, and it was discussed again in the 1980s. Some Maori have advocated similar strategies. Let‘s put everything up for discussion, then do something, before we are overwhelmed.