GETTING TOUGH ON CRIME
Families deserve to feel safe. You shouldn’t have to worry about being a victim of violent crime.
This year in Parliament has seen a real focus on Law and Order. As a result I thought I’d summarise some of the initiatives implemented.
1. Clamping down on criminal gangs and the ‘P’ trade. We’ve given police and the courts new powers to monitor gang communications, dismantle fortifications, and seize the proceeds of crime. We’ve also increased sentences for people who belong to criminal gangs.
2. Tackling violent youth crime. We’re giving young people the opportunity to participate in programmes designed to steer them away from a life of crime. And we’ve given the courts the option to get more young offenders into mentoring programmes, rehabilitation, and new military-style activity camps.
3. Strengthening bail laws to make it harder for violent criminals to get bail. We passed the Bail Amendment Act last year to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to public safety can be remanded in custody.
4. Removing the right of the worst repeat violent offenders to be released on parole. Parole is a privilege, not a right. That’s why we introduced tough new sentencing legislation to Parliament in our first 100 days. The select committee will report on this soon.
5. Training an extra 600 frontline police officers. We’ve already put 135 extra police on the streets of Counties Manukau, as part of our plan to have an extra 300 by the end of 2010. We’ll also recruit 300 more police in the rest of New Zealand by the end of 2011.
6. Giving police the power to take DNA from people arrested for imprisonable offences. We want to make it easier for police to catch and prosecute criminals. Just last week (28 October) we gave police the power to collect DNA from people they intend charging and to match this against samples from unsolved crimes.
7. Introducing on-the-spot protection orders to help protect victims of domestic violence. From 1 July 2010, police will have the power to remove violent offenders from the home for up to five days
8. Setting up a Victims Compensation Scheme. Last month we passed legislation that imposes a $50 levy on all convicted offenders. Money raised will fund improved services for crime victims.
9. Increasing sentences for crimes against children. The Courts now have to take into account the defencelessness of children when sentencing offenders. We want to send a clear message that crimes against children are abhorrent and should be punished accordingly.
10. Making our prisons work smarter by increasing drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and work programmes for prisoners. We are funding more drug treatment and industry-based training in prisons to help reduce re-offending.
I’m proud of the progress that has been made this year to help make communities safer, reduce the number of crime victims, and make life tougher for violent criminals.
Families deserve to feel safe. You shouldn’t have to worry about being a victim of violent crime.
This year in Parliament has seen a real focus on Law and Order. As a result I thought I’d summarise some of the initiatives implemented.
1. Clamping down on criminal gangs and the ‘P’ trade. We’ve given police and the courts new powers to monitor gang communications, dismantle fortifications, and seize the proceeds of crime. We’ve also increased sentences for people who belong to criminal gangs.
2. Tackling violent youth crime. We’re giving young people the opportunity to participate in programmes designed to steer them away from a life of crime. And we’ve given the courts the option to get more young offenders into mentoring programmes, rehabilitation, and new military-style activity camps.
3. Strengthening bail laws to make it harder for violent criminals to get bail. We passed the Bail Amendment Act last year to ensure that criminals who pose a risk to public safety can be remanded in custody.
4. Removing the right of the worst repeat violent offenders to be released on parole. Parole is a privilege, not a right. That’s why we introduced tough new sentencing legislation to Parliament in our first 100 days. The select committee will report on this soon.
5. Training an extra 600 frontline police officers. We’ve already put 135 extra police on the streets of Counties Manukau, as part of our plan to have an extra 300 by the end of 2010. We’ll also recruit 300 more police in the rest of New Zealand by the end of 2011.
6. Giving police the power to take DNA from people arrested for imprisonable offences. We want to make it easier for police to catch and prosecute criminals. Just last week (28 October) we gave police the power to collect DNA from people they intend charging and to match this against samples from unsolved crimes.
7. Introducing on-the-spot protection orders to help protect victims of domestic violence. From 1 July 2010, police will have the power to remove violent offenders from the home for up to five days
8. Setting up a Victims Compensation Scheme. Last month we passed legislation that imposes a $50 levy on all convicted offenders. Money raised will fund improved services for crime victims.
9. Increasing sentences for crimes against children. The Courts now have to take into account the defencelessness of children when sentencing offenders. We want to send a clear message that crimes against children are abhorrent and should be punished accordingly.
10. Making our prisons work smarter by increasing drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and work programmes for prisoners. We are funding more drug treatment and industry-based training in prisons to help reduce re-offending.
I’m proud of the progress that has been made this year to help make communities safer, reduce the number of crime victims, and make life tougher for violent criminals.
