Person offences up, property down, in lock-down month

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By ERWIN CHLANDA

During April, when the COVID-19 lock-down was in force, there was a sharp increase of domestic violence in Alice Springs, nearly 12% over the same month last year.

Assaults went up 6.48% according to statistics released today.

There were significant decreases in property offences: House break-ins down 11.15%, commercial premises break-ins down 11.85%, and motor vehicle theft down 23.84%.

The offences data were extracted from the NT Police PROMIS system, that means the alleged offences were reported to the police and it created a record about them.

The Alice Springs urban centre includes the downtown and surrounding areas corresponding to the Alice Springs Local Government Area, and represents about 12% of the Northern Territory’s population.

The Alice Springs region falls within the NT Police Southern Command.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Erm … strong case for curfew. But you can bet the faceless experts who are never challenged for their failed touchy feel good programs of no blame and no accountability will have all the answers.

  2. @ Litmus: Can you explain why this is a case for a curfew? Surely domestic violence will only increase if people are forced to go home. Thanks.

  3. I would think these stats have been replicated in all the states and territories during the lockdown.
    Easy to see why home break-ins and car thefts were down. People have been at home. Thieves and robbers aren’t particularly known for their bravery when they know they may face an angry family member with a baseball bat.
    But it doesn’t really explain why commercial break-ins have been down. No trading, no cash on the premises perhaps?

  4. @ Rosalie: Whilst domestic violence needs to be addressed, letting these [kids] inflict crime on the innocents in the community, does not seem very fair either.
    To justify a ban on a curfew, that may help reduce crime for fear of an increase in DV, is akin to allowing drug addicts free drugs because it’s cheaper than paying for the damage they inflict on society! Oh that’s right, we already do that.
    People need to be held accountable for their actions (all ages).
    Try a curfew, if it doesn’t work try something else.

  5. So, can we then draw the conclusion that a mere 11.15% of house break ins are conducted by people living out of Alice, taking into account that non residents where taken back to community for the lock down period. The remaining 89% is conducted by people who live in town?

  6. As though protecting actual humans from violence might be more important than property.
    Oh, that’s right, laws were invented for rich white men and the protection of their property. Defund police.

  7. @ Detag: Detag I’m unsure of your point, but if you are suggesting that defunding police will allow people to deal with crime in their own way, then bring it on.
    Furthermore, your comment has racial undertones, is there something you’d really like to say?

  8. I have lived in communities with curfew and they do not work.
    Aboriginal kids actually play the game with Night Patrol and police by throwing rocks on roofs and disappearing into the bush.
    Aboriginal kids think its fun and then when they are caught and taken home they laugh with parents who allow them out again.
    What’s missing is a dedicated venue to hold these kids until their parents are called. Then there should be the question asked about the ability of the parents’ responsibility. Curfews sound good but in reality they are a bit of a dog whistle, really.

  9. Detag, a word of advice: When you bring ones skin tone and biological appendages into an argument you have already lost the point you hoped to make.

  10. Back in highschool we learned about “significant numbers”.
    Am I being pedantic when I assert that the numbers after the decimal point are somewhat meaningless?
    “Motor vehicle theft down 23.84%.” Wouldn’t the actual number of motor vehicles stolen give a clearer picture?
    Reminds me of something I read in a little book called “Innumeracy”: “33.33% of doctors prefer aspirin to paracetamol. They couldn’t convince Bruce otherwise.”

  11. @ Frank: You are correct, but statistics like this are used to mask reality.
    Many years ago when Lada vehicles were available, they stated that in 12 months they had increased their sales by 100%. They sold their second one.

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