4 April 2009

Is Canberra Crime Getting worse?

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A question to ponder.

Is Canberra crime getting worse or is the media reporting more violent crimes more often?

Or are drugs getting more out of control…..etc… What are people’s ideas/thoughts on this?

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Clown Killer10:20 pm 05 Apr 09

“Nowadays we seem to have a murder a week here in Canberra – we probably don’t but it seems that way”

You must be completely paranoid because that is total bullshit

Whatever.

Deadmandrinking8:12 pm 05 Apr 09

vg said :

“Also in the US, they have a tendency to arm their poor by putting gun-stores in and near every dodgy area in the country. That doesn’t help anyone.”

How do poor people afford guns then?

Oh, they can’t, because nobody in poor and dodgy areas acquires money through any channels bar legal ones, no sireee.

Also, the middle-classes who live near dodgy areas tend to stock up on guns to protect their homes, being paranoid thanks to fox news covering every crime that happens anywhere in the country 24/7. This leads to frequent gun deaths in the home.

Legal guns are a bad idea. They’re designed to kill and will do just that.

vg said :

3 places not to buy

Kambah
Charnwood
Oaks Estate

Add Florey…

Deadmandrinking said :

Fisho, the gun crime in the UK is nowhere near what it is in the US. In fact, I think the UK’s crime rate overall is about the same as ours. I know where you’re sourcing this idea too. The NRA was squawking about Australia and the UK’s crime rates being higher overall than the US’. The UK and Australia had higher assaults and burglaries and that kind of thing, however the US had a much, much larger homicide rate.

The other thing to remember is that australia has not had a mass shooting in the likes of port arthur/strathfield/hoddle st, since the introduction of the gun laws, which prevent homeowners from having semi-automatic weapons like the ones used in those killings. The US had one last week. I know it’s a big country, but still, it’s beginning to seem like there’s one every month there.

Also in the US, they have a tendency to arm their poor by putting gun-stores in and near every dodgy area in the country. That doesn’t help anyone.

In regards to Canberra crime – it’s probably ‘getting worse’, but only due to the fact that Canberra is getting bigger. To a lot of long-term residents, it would seem like a bad thing, but really, if there’s more crime because there’s more people, you’re not drastically more likely to be affected.

No my comments were not based on NRA data. The UK/US gun crime ratio misses the point, the point was that there is little correlation between rates of gun ownership and rates of gun crime globally. Some places where gun ownership is mandatory/high experience low rates of violent/gun crime.

The supposed removal of semi-automatic guns in this country was nothing to do with reducing gun related crime. Even the people that introduced those laws admit as much.

Those laws do not prevent people having semi-auto guns, they prevent them having them legally.

The US is one place where the type of firearm that can easily facilitate a massacre should be removed, as they seem to be a bit too fond of that sort of thing.

I have noticed a lot more police in this area (applauds the police), though I can’t say I’ve noticed an increase of dodgy people or crime.

But then again, I tend to not be in the traditional areas/times for experiencing nutjobbery.

“Nowadays we seem to have a murder a week here in Canberra – we probably don’t but it seems that way”

You must be completely paranoid because that is total bullshit

“Also in the US, they have a tendency to arm their poor by putting gun-stores in and near every dodgy area in the country. That doesn’t help anyone.”

How do poor people afford guns then?

Clown Killer5:24 pm 05 Apr 09

When I first came to Canberra about 20-odd years ago there was a woman found dead in a ditch somewhere out near Bungendore and she was last seen alive at a seedy bar that was where Mooseheads is now. The murder was front page news for what seemed like six months and I remember thinking that, despite the demise of the poor woman, Canberra must be a pretty safe place because in Melbourne (where I used to live) there seemed to be a murder (or two) every week and no one made too much fuss – or the media just moved on to the next story.

Nowadays we seem to have a murder a week here in Canberra – we probably don’t but it seems that way. Is it because there’s more violent crime or is crime just the same and the media beats it into more of a story? I certainly don’t feel any more or less safe then I did say ten years ago.

The crime rate will go where we allow it to go. We all should be standing up to these Sh#theads and saying we will not tolerate you. Point in fact, a couple of weeks ago I was down at my local IGA and the manager was trying to evict to young people from the shop for unacceptable behaviour to other shoppers. Try as he might, these lads were challenging him to do something. The manager could only tell them that he was going to call the police which only made them laugh at him. I was listening to this and thought enough was enough. I went up to these lads and told them to “leave in peace, or leave in pieces, up to them.”
They thought about it for a while, but me staring at them made them think twice about causing any more trouble and they left. And I think that you will find that most of the crime is committed by a small percentage of idiots. In some cases, by catching one or two people, crime can go down by 50%.
Just say NO. We will not put up with it. Criminals don’t want to be exposed and known, so let them know we know who you are and they will back down.

Deadmandrinking2:38 pm 05 Apr 09

Fisho, the gun crime in the UK is nowhere near what it is in the US. In fact, I think the UK’s crime rate overall is about the same as ours. I know where you’re sourcing this idea too. The NRA was squawking about Australia and the UK’s crime rates being higher overall than the US’. The UK and Australia had higher assaults and burglaries and that kind of thing, however the US had a much, much larger homicide rate.

The other thing to remember is that australia has not had a mass shooting in the likes of port arthur/strathfield/hoddle st, since the introduction of the gun laws, which prevent homeowners from having semi-automatic weapons like the ones used in those killings. The US had one last week. I know it’s a big country, but still, it’s beginning to seem like there’s one every month there.

Also in the US, they have a tendency to arm their poor by putting gun-stores in and near every dodgy area in the country. That doesn’t help anyone.

In regards to Canberra crime – it’s probably ‘getting worse’, but only due to the fact that Canberra is getting bigger. To a lot of long-term residents, it would seem like a bad thing, but really, if there’s more crime because there’s more people, you’re not drastically more likely to be affected.

Kambah is a massive suburb – almost the same size as the whole of Weston Creek. It has a large mixture of housing types. From the govies to the semi mansions of Urambi hills.

It may have a few dodgy spots, but nowhere more than anywhere else.

Clown Killer1:19 pm 05 Apr 09

I’ve lived in Kambah since 2002 and so far it seems like it’s not really any more dangerous (or safer for that matter) than anywhere else I’ve been in Canberra. Maybe Kambah exports its crime to other places in Canberra.

3 places not to buy

Kambah
Charnwood
Oaks Estate

Timberwolf658:54 am 05 Apr 09

2604 said :

This is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know where to find crime statistics by suburb in Canberra?

We are looking for a family home and want to make sure that the area is relatively free of crime (violent and petty) before purchasing.

I know I would move back to Duffy in an instant, You don’t really hear of much happening there lately, I think all the shit is down South side, which is where I currently live.
We bought a house 7 years ago and it’s just in the last 3 years I have found things are starting to get worse round here.

I know crime is everywhere but there is a lot of young families here because it’s a bit cheaper.

So don’t buy South side.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy7:56 am 05 Apr 09

Poverty doesn’t care about skin colour, even if we do.

Ralph said :

The question you need to be asking is: Who is committing these violent crimes? That you will find most illuminating. Same goes for the United States, but even more illuminating. And before DMD and Woody start screeching, I know, it be caused by white man oppression, and modernity.

Similar situation here, although it’s a less worse, because we don’t arm our poor.

Indeed, and chains caused slavery.

Thats easy…. mostly its young males from a lower socio-economic background. Drugs are also a major influence.
This is true of every country, and if you look closer the age of the males involved is starting to lower (13-25 instead of 16-25 a few years back)

There isn’t actually a direct correlation between rates of gun ownership and violent crime globally. High ownership of guns doesn’t automatically mean high rates of violent crime – quite the opposite in many places. The UK, where guns are vurtually banned by law, has a high rate of violent/gun crime. Male, poor, drugs. Those are they key factors.

I’m sure some PC clown will start sqwawking about race.

Well I lived in PNG for 2 years and we had security cameras in the house, electric gates, six foot high fences with barbed wire, two way radio, one bedroom lined with steel completely, bars on all windows and security fire doors with three locks including dead locks, two guard dogs. Nothing scares me now, if the natives want to get in they used to axe their way in regardless if your home or not, never happened to us as we treated the locals with respect, mind you, you would never walk anywhere, always in the car with all doors locked

Americanberran10:18 pm 04 Apr 09

Here’s the biggest crime of all…which isn’t even officially classified as such: The Super Fund

canberra bureaucrat10:05 pm 04 Apr 09

Also there is a greater fear of ‘visceral’ risks. Things like shark attacks, abduction, violent crime and the like (gruesome, scary etc), seem scarier than driving a car, smoking etc (familiar, common-place, yet more likely to kill us). The fear we have of visceral risks can be totally out of proportion, e.g. we are all more likely to die of a car crash driving to the south coast than from a shark attack there, yet many would fear the shark attack more.

2604, neighbourhood watch used to publish crime stats, but now they are only in the newsletters in suburbs that still have neighbourhood watch.

I would avoid houses very close to government flats, or close to major shopping centres like Kippax, Dickson or Southlands. Otherwise I think almost every area is ok.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:07 pm 04 Apr 09

Agreed Swaggie. If you decide to be a ratbag as a one off, you’re practically guaranteed not to get a custodial sentence in this town.

and there’s a growing awareness that if you don’t mind getting nicked by the cops there’s not much to be worried about from the judiciary, a slap on the wrist,a jolly good talking to and that’s about as bad as it gets. Not much of a deterrent.

Woody Mann-Caruso8:08 pm 04 Apr 09

WMC, it’s because they (at least Saudi) have no problems putting people to death who break the law.

Really? Well, I never. That doesn’t gel at all with the picture of Muslims that Ralph painted for me. I was assured they were uncivilised savages loosely collected into roving gangs of murderous thugs with no concept of ‘laws’. And now you’re telling me that not only do they frown on lawbreaking, but they have capital punishment as well? Between that and their awesome wealth, why, they’re practically Republicans!

Ruby Wednesday6:14 pm 04 Apr 09

Re buying a house based on crime rates: (1) criminals have access to transport and Canberra isn’t that big, (2) I don’t think we have enough crime for many of our statistics to be statistically significant and (3) a lot of crime has a personal element, particularly with crime against persons (as opposed to property), so you’re not likely to be the victim on a random basis.

I find it funny that we talk about how horrible American crime is, but my inlaws don’t even lock their doors when they’re at home (as many people in AU do) and they were in SoCal. Oh, and their house has never been broken into, they’ve not been assaulted or shot, and the only crime that has happened to them was that my m-i-l’s car was stolen in the 1980s, though she got it back fairly quickly. The crime in America is (from talking to Americans) very localised and the idea of them being constantly in fear of their lives is completely off the mark.

2604 said :

This is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know where to find crime statistics by suburb in Canberra?

We are looking for a family home and want to make sure that the area is relatively free of crime (violent and petty) before purchasing.

Every area has it’s good and bad no matter where in Canberra. Going for a drive in the respective street/area will usually give a good idea as to what is living there ??!!

WMC, it’s because they (at least Saudi) have no problems putting people to death who break the law. Also there is a lot of family honor which is more powerful than the law. (aka you don’t want to bring shame upon your family)

2604, basically anywhere in Canberra and you should be fine. We don’t really have the “No Go” area’s like say Sydney or Melbourne has.

This is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know where to find crime statistics by suburb in Canberra?

We are looking for a family home and want to make sure that the area is relatively free of crime (violent and petty) before purchasing.

Woody Mann-Caruso5:17 pm 04 Apr 09

Another couple of questions for you Ralph, if you’re not too busy bearing the white man’s burden:

If non-white people are so violent, how come a diverse society like Australia has a lower murder rate than somewhere ‘pure’, like Finland or Iceland? If Muslims are such murderous fiends, why do Saudi Arabia and Qatar have the lowest murder rates in the world?

I think it just comes from living in the trailer park!

; )

Granny, how did you become so wise?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Why would the media want us all to be petrified in our homes?

So they can keep us glued to the screen/newspaper/website, on which advertising is sold.

Over the past 20 or so years, the mainstream media really have gone from reporting the news to fearmongering.

EXACTLY. Their not even hiding it …. sometimes it is blatant fearmongering and you see it the most on the various current affair programs the most.

The sad thing is the media used to be about getting the truth to the people, hence freedom of the press (that they love to preach) The problem is the media is no longer believed by the public ?? They have lost touch with what they are meant to be 🙁

“Is Canberra crime getting worse?”

No

Argument ends

Canberra seems to go through crime cycles. A few years back we had a few rock throwings, & bus vandalism. Last December we had attacks on 16 year old males & now abductions.

In a few months a new crime will start up in Canberra.

I think fear also comes from the fact that most people know someone who know someone who’s had a daughter snatched from a bus shelter by four men and been raped, or a sister who was dragged behind the bushes and raped at knife point, or some similar story.

It’s like when you’re pregnant and everybody has to tell you about every horror delivery that they’ve ever heard of.

That takes it from something that happened to a faceless statistic that has nothing to do with you, to flesh and blood people that could be you.

For instance, how many kids at school actually know the kids it’s happened to and go home and say, “Guess what?” to mum and dad? So then you have a whole suburb or district worried, because that suddenly becomes personal.

And then how many people work with those parents who are worried that there was an abduction attempt made on a kid at their school, with the perpetrator still out there who might be in their area and might do it again? They then become personally involved with supporting and advising these parents.

Traumatic events do tend to affect a whole community, and the more shocking the event the more pronounced the ripple will be.

No matter how unlikely lightning may be to strike in the same place twice, when it strikes it does have an impact and it does create fear.

I think this should be acknowledged and some kind of post-trauma counseling measures employed on behalf of the community to smooth life out and reassure them that they are still just as safe as before.

People are wondering, “What does this mean for me and my family?” and if you don’t fill that information vaccuum with the most likely scenario it seems to be human nature to fill it with the worst case scenario.

MrPC said :

Regardless of whether it’s better or worse, the overall rate is so low that it’s likely it will never affect you in any meaningful way. Go visit some really scummy countries like the USA and you might experience what it’s truly like to live in fear all day every day.

Mr PC i’ve visited the USA and didn’t live in fear nor do i live in fear in the ACT, however the question is relevant and so far it looks like the media has increased its exposure to crime. crime sells

MrPC, I’m planning on visiting the good ole US of A in a few weeks time, and I don’t really have to much concern for my safety. (I’ll have a bit of situational awareness going on, but that’s it).

As for crime getting worse, welcome to our 24 x 7 internet news feed, further perpetuated by sites such as the riot act. (Don’t get me wrong, I love the riot act and all it stands for).

It however means that no matter how small an incident is, and no matter where in the world it happens, we can now hear, read and watch it happening live, because no longer is our news feed to us in 30 second stories in the space of 23 minutes (allows 7 minutes for ads). Also given the riot act (and many other media outlets) take stories from the general public, for a story to be published on-line it doesn’t take a jouro’s interest to get the story heard.

We can now read about things happening on the other side of our fair city, or the other side of the world, whilst the event is happening.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:49 pm 04 Apr 09

Why would the media want us all to be petrified in our homes?

So they can keep us glued to the screen/newspaper/website, on which advertising is sold.

Over the past 20 or so years, the mainstream media really have gone from reporting the news to fearmongering.

sepi said :

Why would the media want us all to be petrified in our homes?

Because it sells papers, makes more people watch the news or a current affair, today tonight etc.

Funny how during periods when no visible and anxiety-provoking crime has occurred nobody speculates that crime rates are falling or that things are getting better.

GottaLoveCanberra1:03 pm 04 Apr 09

A wanker is a wanker, regardless of his skin pigmentation.

Deadmandrinking12:57 pm 04 Apr 09

I think white guys are well ahead in the pedo race, woody.

White criminals are just as vulgar and violent as any other.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:54 pm 04 Apr 09

The question you need to be asking is: Who is committing these violent crimes?

Is the answer ‘men’?

Oh, how silly of me. You want to play the race and culture card. (Not sure how, with the only meaningful data available being imprisonment by birth country, and with only 1 in 10 crimes actually solved, and then with only a third of assaults reported but hey, bluff away – I’ve got only got three of a kind.)

In that case, I’ve got a much more interesting question for you:

If white culture is so superior, and if our civilization is so awesome, why do white people commit any crimes at all?

Deadmandrinking12:51 pm 04 Apr 09

Ralph said :

The question you need to be asking is: Who is committing these violent crimes? That you will find most illuminating. Same goes for the United States, but even more illuminating. And before DMD and Woody start screeching, I know, it be caused by white man oppression, and modernity.

Similar situation here, although it’s a less worse, because we don’t arm our poor.

Indeed, and chains caused slavery.

Slavery would have been harder without chains.

People are less dangerous without guns. Still dangerous, but it’s not going to be such an easy and quick job to kill someone without a tool design exactly and only to do that.

Why would the media want us all to be petrified in our homes?

I think the main problem is that it’s happening all at the same time. In the last 2 or 3 weeks there’s been something like 3 murders, 3 attempted abductions of girls and whatever else has happened. Canberra’s only a small place, so when these violent crimes gets concentrated into a small space of time, then people react.

The question you need to be asking is: Who is committing these violent crimes? That you will find most illuminating. Same goes for the United States, but even more illuminating. And before DMD and Woody start screeching, I know, it be caused by white man oppression, and modernity.

Similar situation here, although it’s a less worse, because we don’t arm our poor.

Indeed, and chains caused slavery.

MrPC: I’m sure you’re probably trolling, but having spent a bit of time in the US, for all it’s shortcomings I can’t say I was ever living in fear (never mind “all day every day”).

As for Canberra, after one particularly galling “Canberra is going to hell, it’s not safe to walk the streets any more” style post, I tracked down the actual crime stats for this city (I know, it’s far more fun to make with the uninformed speculation and wild claims about how the streets are crawling with thugs and rapists, but I kinda like actual numbers). What they boil down to is this: violent crimes per capita are indeed up a little bit over the last few years. They’re still so low, however, that, as MrPC says, you’re really pretty unlikely from a statistical standpoint to ever be affected. My advice would be to worry about things that are demonstrably a problem rather than listen to the media who would like nothing better than to get everyone believing it’s not safe to step out their front door.

Deadmandrinking11:13 am 04 Apr 09

That’s only some parts of the USA, MrPC, and even then, it’s overblown by the media. Most of it is poor on poor violence. Similar situation here, although it’s a less worse, because we don’t arm our poor.

Port Moresby is where you should be scared.

And then again, wasn’t Alice Springs named the ‘stabbing capital of the world’ or something?

Regardless of whether it’s better or worse, the overall rate is so low that it’s likely it will never affect you in any meaningful way. Go visit some really scummy countries like the USA and you might experience what it’s truly like to live in fear all day every day.

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