Crime Rate in New Zealand is Growing at a Faster Pace
New Zealand has always had the reputation of being a peaceful country full of friendly and cheerful citizens. However, the two things have been rampant in the last few years, i.e., the number of people leaving New Zealand for better career prospects and the number of people committing crimes.
New Zealand has unfortunately experienced its share of gun crime recently. It has been observed that the offenders often tend to be young people. The police are troubled by this rise. Why is this happening more than ever? Read on to learn more.
The Causes for the Rise in Crime
Experts state that generational family trauma tends to play a huge role in the rise of crime. Most of these young offenders come from families where they felt unsafe or mistreated.
Many of them have endured physical, psychological, and emotional abuse. There have been many cases of sexual assault and homicide. The issue of ram raids has also become rampant, where the young boys ram their cars into the stores and steal whatever they can get their hands on.
There has been a rise in the trend of young people forming gangs and developing their own gang culture. The gangs usually tend to have plenty of discord among each other as they attempt to display their muscle and influence. As a result, the incidents of the drive-by shooting have increased.
The attendance of the youth in schools has dropped as well. Hence, the lack of father or authority figures is also to blame. This trend of absenteeism is said to have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Zealand Police Expresses Its Challenges
It hasn’t been easy for the New Zealand police. One of the biggest issues why there hasn’t been a strong enough action against the rise in crime, has been because of New Zealand’s three-year election cycle, which doesn’t allow the Government to devote its attention wholeheartedly to this crisis. Attempting to resolve generational trauma issues can be quite an expensive and time-consuming process as well.
The police are at a loss and find themselves quite helpless. They state that it has become tough to catch hold of the young offenders, who often steal cars and escape from the police in smart ways. The police are complaining about not having enough resources or funding.
The Most Vulnerable Groups in New Zealand
The most vulnerable groups have been racial minorities, disabled people, and people of the LGBT community. The minorities usually live in difficult areas that make them more vulnerable to violence and victimization.
The presence of crime in the LGBT community has been startling to witness. Many non-heterosexual adults have been sexually assaulted in recent times. Hence, the LGBT community has expressed its sadness and dissatisfaction with this matter. Bisexual New Zealanders have been the most victimized group in recent times.
