SURVEY FINDS FALSE VIEW OF VIOLENCE

People seem to believe our society is violent but statistics suggest
otherwise

A survey assessing attitudes towards crime shows most people believe
our society is more violent than it really is.

Of the 1500 people questioned during the Ministry of Justice study,
two-thirds of them thought that at least half of all crime reported to
the police involved violence or the threat of violence.

Police statistics show around 10 per cent of crime actually falls into
that category.

Many people also overestimated the likelihood of a household being
burgled, leading the study's authors to conclude that many people had
"an inaccurate and negative view of crime statistics".

While the survey did not specifically ask people where they got their
information about crime from, overseas studies have said the news
media paint a distorted picture of the situation by reporting just the
most extreme crimes.

The ministry's survey - done in 1999 - also sought people's opinions
on the length of sentences. Many people underestimated the maximum
penalties that could be imposed and the length of time offenders
actually spent in prison.

Fifty per cent of people were pessimistic about whether offenders
could be rehabilitated.

Many thought more criminals re-offended while on bail or within two
years of being released from prison than in fact did so.

Ministry of Justice Deputy Secretary Dr Warren Young said the results
showed people needed to be given better information on crime trends
and sentencing practices.

The survey's findings also suggested most people would rank burglary
with a weapon and importing heroin as being more serious crimes than
male assaults female, drink-driving or theft through fraudulent use.

Over half of those surveyed rated possession of cannabis as being the
least serious crime.

Attitudes to crime

* Most people believe half of all crimes involve violence. In fact,
the rate is about 10 per cent.

* Two-thirds overestimated the number of homes burgled each
year.

* Half underestimated the maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for
rape, the average eight-year sentence imposed, and the average
five-year sentence served by rapists.

Source: Attitudes to Crime and Punishment survey of 1500 people aged 18 and
over.