Crime is a significant social issue in Alice Springs.[1][2][3][4] The main source of crime is Alice Spring's large unemployed population of Aboriginal residents[1][2][3][4], who live in camps throughout the town, and in camps nearby.[1][2][3][4]
Contents |
In 2009 there were 1432 recorded assaults in Alice Springs[3], with 65% of assaults involving alcohol.[3] Reported assaults had almost doubled since 2004.[3] The Territory's Southern Region Police Commander, Anne-Marie Murphy said that itinerancy, domestic violence and alcohol were the main factors driving up crime rates.[3]
In the 2009-10 financial year, the Northern Territory Justice Department's Quarterly Crime & Justice Statistics report recorded that there were 1632 reported cases of theft, and 906 reports of property damage in Alice Springs.[5][6] 774 homes and businesses were broken into during the 2009-10 financial year.[5][6]
The NT Justice Department's Quarterly Crime & Justice Statistics report documented increases across multiple categories of crime in Alice Springs in the 6 years between the 2004-05 and the 2009-10 reporting periods.[6] Recorded cases of assault rose by 87%[6], sexual assault offences rose by 97%[6], and house break-ins increased by 64%.[6]
Break-ins to commercial premises rose by 185%[6], and 'motor vehicle theft and related offences' increased by 97%[6] on 2004-05 figures.[6]
In 2008, the Alice Springs town council began to hire private security guards to patrol the town, at a cost of $5000 per week.[4] The Northern Territory government has been accused of underfunding social services for Aboriginal people in Alice Springs[4], as part of a wider problem of underfunding across central Australia.[4] Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan has indicated that crime has increased as more people migrated into the city from remote communities.[7]
Some long-time residents of Alice Springs have moved away as a direct result of crime concerns.[1] Local businesses have spent increased amounts to upgrade the physical security of their premises from property crime[7][5], including the use of high security fences, razor wire and security cameras.[7][5]
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||