Ministry of Justice focuses on family violence

The Government has announced the total recorded crime and youth crime rates continued to decrease in the latest June quarter. Since June 2011, the total recorded crime rate has dropped 17 percent (1 percent reduction in the June quarter) and the recorded youth crime rate has dropped 33 percent (4 percent reduction in the June quarter).

These rates represent two of the four Better Public Service targets, achieved by the Justice sector three years ahead of schedule.

For the remaining targets, which are most relevant to family violence, there was no change to the re-offending rate and the violent crime rate increased by 0.8% in the last June quarter. Justice Minister Amy Adams said "An important focus will be implementing the Government’s suite of reforms announced earlier this year to address family violence. While the sector has achieved much in reducing the total and youth crime rates, it must continue to work to protect our society’s most vulnerable individuals – primarily women and children – from family violence and abuse. Agencies across the justice sector are focused on this task."

In July 2014, the Government announced a 'suite of initiatives' to address family violence. In August 2014, it publically released its cross-agency work programme to strengthen the family violence system. Four Cabinet papers on family violence were released including A stronger response to family violence (Ministry of Justice) and Family violence: Achieving intergenerational change (on a 'whole of government' approach).

More information on the Better Public Service Targets is available on the Justice website.

Media

Crime rate continues to fall against BPS targets, Beehive, 07.11.2014

Image: Target by Nina Matthews Photography. Licence: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)