You're an intelligent person (most of you, the rest, I get your emails too). You wonder why it is that what yourself and those you know experience and observe of the incidence of crime just doesn't seem to jibe with the constant refrain from governments and the press releases are stories; just rip and run (cut and paste) MSM: crime is always down, and besides, canerduh is the safest place on Earth; why, just imagine if you lived in that hell hole to the south etc...
Perhaps you've been to yon hell hole (its just south of White Rock) and found you didn't spend all your time dodging bullets. I know I have.
Have another look at the graph up there.
"Over the past few decades, the advent of victim surveys has facilitated a broader understanding of the crime problem as well as a better assessment of its burden on citizens at the international level. While in the past only police and criminal justice data were used to measure crime, it is now widely acknowledged that such information alone is not sufficient and should be integrated with victim surveys results. Surveys of victims of crime are a more comparable tool to assess risks across countries and world regions. The International Crime Victim Survey (ICVS) represents the major research project in this respect, with more than 150 surveys done in over 80 different countries since 1989. ..."
What that means is no politicians spinning smoke and mirrors, never mind the plea bargains (take a hatchet to half the neighborhood and get it down to "careless use of a horticultural implement") and all that case thrown out on a technicality stuff.
If you've had this vague feeling you've been getting (how to put this politely?) bullshitted about the effectiveness of canerduh's joke of a criminal justice system, there's something to consider.
While you're at it, have a look at this :
"Selected contact crimes - robbery, sexual assault and robbery with force." Nasty, nasty, scary stuff, huh?
Canerduh just doesn't seem to measure up on the old personal safety meter, does it?
There's plenty more where this came from and your correspondent, at least, is digging in, you're invited. And you're also invited to consider throwing all this at some pol the next time the orthodox crime catechism begins.
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/Crime-Victims-Survey.html
2 comments:
Have had this same debate on my site inumerable times,David -once with a lawyer from Tokyo who thought I was nuts for not believing in governmentand police issued statistics.As you know,I've the privilage of having a mayor who thinks we mere citizens are stupidly living with " the old perception" that Surrey is unsafe and full of crime.
Hell,I live within bombing distance of the latest terrorist found to be still illegally in BC, and apparently he's been living here for the last 8 years.Funny enough, he seems to be hanging our with Inderjit Singh Reyat. They all go to the Temple known internationally as the breeding ground for terrorist activity.
Sorry though, I guess I must be still be "imagining" Surrey isnt a safe place.
Good for you, and good for me that we try to keep on it. So sad no one seems to be listening to everyone like us.Sometimes I begin to wonder why i keep at it.
I agree with you fully! Furthermore, did you happen to catch the news story the other day when Insite proponents criticized the RCMP for gathering statistics on it too? They accused our national police force of gathering "negative statistics".
What COMPLETE hypocrisy! As David Berner points out to us all the time, there have been countless phoney studies about Insite, with the conclusion of every one known before the study ever began!
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