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163346
Wed, 02/23/2011 - 12:04
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http://m.oananews.org//node/163346
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Assaults still on the rise in Melbourne
Feb. 23 (AAP) - The number of assaults in Melbourne has risen for the seventh straight year despite a police crackdown on violence in the city.
While the number of inner city assaults continued to rise, overall crime across Victoria dropped by more than five per cent in 2010, with a 2.9 per cent fall in robberies and drug offences down 2.7 per cent.
Victoria Police, however, would not reveal any figures on homicide or rape.
The number of assaults in the City of Melbourne, which includes the CBD and some inner suburbs, rose 7.9 per cent in 2010, to 2720, or more than seven a day. The number was up 5.0 per cent when family violence was excluded.
Deputy police commissioner Sir Ken Jones blamed the increase in assaults on the unchecked growth in the number of city bars.
Sir Ken has urged town planners to be strategic with the number of bars in the city, saying untrammelled growth, particularly in stand-up bars, has consequences.
"You can't just continue to grow that part of the market without there being a downside for the community," Sir Ken told journalists on Wednesday.
Figures provided by police for the 12 months to January 2011, show that 2010 had the highest number of assaults in Melbourne for at least 10 years, and the number has risen each year since 2004.
Taking into account population changes, the 2921.4 assaults per 100,000 people was the highest since 2002 and the sixth consecutive rise.
Sir Ken said that while the number of assaults in Melbourne was continuing to rise, the increase was flattening out.
"There are signs that we are at the top of the curve," he said.
He said police operations aimed at reducing assaults in the city included more street policing and working with those in the entertainment precinct.
A booming economy, which encouraged people with more money into the CBD, also contributed to the rise in assaults, Sir Ken said.
"They are, obviously, having a drink and I am afraid a minority of them will misbehave," he said.
He said a number of things could be done to reduce assaults.
"It is about law enforcement. But, ultimately, it is about being smarter, about looking further ahead, making sure you have the right mix of entertainment and liquor outlets in your towns and your cities. So, that takes years to fix," Sir Ken said.
"It takes a long time. But, it can't come soon enough for me," he said.
The overall crime figure across Victoria was down 5.3 per cent, with home burglaries falling 3.1 per cent to 26,974, assaults up 2.6 per cent to 35,563 and the number of motor vehicles stolen down seven per cent to 14,324.
While the number of inner city assaults continued to rise, overall crime across Victoria dropped by more than five per cent in 2010, with a 2.9 per cent fall in robberies and drug offences down 2.7 per cent.
Victoria Police, however, would not reveal any figures on homicide or rape.
The number of assaults in the City of Melbourne, which includes the CBD and some inner suburbs, rose 7.9 per cent in 2010, to 2720, or more than seven a day. The number was up 5.0 per cent when family violence was excluded.
Deputy police commissioner Sir Ken Jones blamed the increase in assaults on the unchecked growth in the number of city bars.
Sir Ken has urged town planners to be strategic with the number of bars in the city, saying untrammelled growth, particularly in stand-up bars, has consequences.
"You can't just continue to grow that part of the market without there being a downside for the community," Sir Ken told journalists on Wednesday.
Figures provided by police for the 12 months to January 2011, show that 2010 had the highest number of assaults in Melbourne for at least 10 years, and the number has risen each year since 2004.
Taking into account population changes, the 2921.4 assaults per 100,000 people was the highest since 2002 and the sixth consecutive rise.
Sir Ken said that while the number of assaults in Melbourne was continuing to rise, the increase was flattening out.
"There are signs that we are at the top of the curve," he said.
He said police operations aimed at reducing assaults in the city included more street policing and working with those in the entertainment precinct.
A booming economy, which encouraged people with more money into the CBD, also contributed to the rise in assaults, Sir Ken said.
"They are, obviously, having a drink and I am afraid a minority of them will misbehave," he said.
He said a number of things could be done to reduce assaults.
"It is about law enforcement. But, ultimately, it is about being smarter, about looking further ahead, making sure you have the right mix of entertainment and liquor outlets in your towns and your cities. So, that takes years to fix," Sir Ken said.
"It takes a long time. But, it can't come soon enough for me," he said.
The overall crime figure across Victoria was down 5.3 per cent, with home burglaries falling 3.1 per cent to 26,974, assaults up 2.6 per cent to 35,563 and the number of motor vehicles stolen down seven per cent to 14,324.
