The Fiji Police Force has reported a notable rise in crime, with an overall increase of 19 percent last month compared to the same timeframe last year. Serious crimes saw a 10 percent increase, while crimes against women surged by 22 percent. The detection rate stood at 64 percent, and notably, crimes against children experienced a decline of 9 percent.
Interestingly, the Eastern Division is a point of contrast, as it recorded decreases in the overall crime rates and crimes against women, unlike other divisions which mostly reported increases. In the categories of serious crime and offenses against children, the Southern, Eastern, and Northern divisions also showed declines while other divisions faced rising numbers.
The data highlighted that 45 percent of reported theft cases in November were resolved, while there was only a 20 percent detection rate for burglary. Aggravated robbery had a detection rate of 16 percent for the month.
The Southern Division experienced increases in aggravated burglary and homicide, while the Western Division reported rises in burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, and arson. The Eastern Division had higher instances of aggravated robbery and motor vehicle theft. Furthermore, the Northern Division noted increases in motor vehicle theft and murder, and the Central Division saw rises in rape, robbery, motor vehicle theft, and murder.
Among the 217 crime cases against women reported in November, a significant 80 percent were related to assault, with sexual offenses making up 20 percent. Domestic environments were implicated in 36 percent of these occurrences, often involving a spouse or de-facto partner.
The report on crimes against children revealed 101 cases, divided between 49 girls and 52 boys. Half of these cases were assault-related, 40 percent involved sexual offenses, and 10 percent were linked to other types of offenses. Domestic situations accounted for 16 percent of these cases involving various familial relationships.
While the rise in certain crime rates is concerning, the increase in detection rates and the reported decrease in crimes against children offer a glimmer of hope. Ongoing efforts by the Fiji Police Force to address and resolve crime can be seen as a positive step towards enhancing public safety and responding to these challenges with proactive measures.
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