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No statistical basis to ‘crime wave’

Govt has taken steps to mitigate crime rate :

There is “no crime wave” in the country according to available statistics. The government has initiated a number of projects to minimise crimes committed in post- conflict times, Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

He said when the reports of several media organisations are considered, it seems they attempt to highlight there is a crime wave. This is baseless when the crime related statistics are analyzed.

The Defence Secretary made these observations at the seminar ‘Crime, Corruption and National Security’ on the role of the mass media in raising public awareness on the prevention of crime and corruption and on national security, at the Information Department auditorium yesterday.

The Defence Secretary said the number of crimes reported in 2011 was 54,521.

“The number of crimes reported so far this year is 30,328 and it is anticipated that 2012 will have the same crime rate as last year.”

He pointed out the crime rates were 48,264 and 57,000 in 1990 and 1997.

Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said the crime rate rose to 60,161 in 2006. He said the crime rate as a percentage over the preceding year increased by 19 percent in 1994. “But the same rate as a percentage to the previous year dropped by 13.7 percent in 2009.”

The Defence Secretary said when these fluctuations of the crime rates are considered one should not forget the increase in the population.

He said in addition one also should not forget the fact that after the elimination of terrorism in 2009, all crimes committed in the North and East Provinces that were not accounted for previously were included in the present statistics.

He said no criminal gets government protection and the government has taken many steps to mitigate the crime rate.

The Defence Secretary said all armed groups in North and East were disarmed after the elimination of terrorism.

“After considering numerous complaints on forceful occupation of homes by others, the government successfully intervened to redress these issues. The issue of the underworld too was solved.” Defence Secretary Rajapaksa observed that if there is a crime wave, everybody should be affected by it like in the days when people suffered from a fear psychosis about bomb blasts. Members of the same family did not travel together in a bus for fear of bomb blasts. “But such a situation does not prevail any more in the country,” he said.

He said at a time when peace and normality is being established, the country developing, tourism industry taking off and foreign investment flowing, the media also should have a sense of responsibility when they report on crime lest they damage the image of the country as well as create an undue fear among society. Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Information Department Director General Prof Ariyaratne Athugala also spoke.

Media Centre for National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalla was also present. The event was organized by the Information Department and Media Centre for National Security.

 

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