Safest place to live in
- Simona Vasile
- Jul 10, 2015
- 4 min read
Is New Zealand a safe place to live?
Yes. In fact, according to the 2013 Global Peace Index, we’re the 3rd safest place to live in the world (after Iceland and Denmark). Up against 144 countries, New Zealand was followed by Austria (4th) and Switzerland (5th). Other nations such as the UK (44th) and USA (99th) were much further down the list.
https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/why-choose-nz/safe-secure
Transparency International’s 2013 Corruption Perception Index ranks us the least corrupt country in the world, first equal with Denmark.
Christchurch is the safest NZ city after dark
Christchurch has the lowest percentage of its population which feels safe in the city centre after dark according to the 2008 Quality of Life in 12 NZ cities report.
Do we feel safe in Christchurch?
91% of us feel safe at home after dark
67% of us feel safe in our neighbourhood after dark
29% of us feel in the city centre after dark
Although for most of us, Christchurch feels like a safe place to live, most of the time*, there’s still more we can do to make sure Christchurch is an even safer place to be. In response to this, the Safer Christchurch Strategy gives a unified approach to crime prevention, injury prevention and road safety. It sets out a wide range of actions and targets for the city’s safety and crime prevention agencies to achieve.
Nelson is another city that started many initiatives to enhance safety and particularly to keep our young people free from harm as they enjoy night time activities in the city.
Safe City Nelson initiatives
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Street Ambassador Service
Closed circuit television (CCTV) in the CBD
The Late Late Bus
Nelson Community Patrol
Speak Out Nelson Tasman
Closed circuit television in CBD
Closed circuit tv is operating in central city
Nelson's residents and visitors enjoying an evening in the centre of town will be well-looked after, thanks to the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) monitoring project that operates as a Safe City Nelson initiative.
The programme began in response to resident surveys, which revealed that most residents feel safe during the day but some people feel less safe at night, particularly in the city centre. As a part of the Nelson City Council's Safe City Nelson programme, volunteers of the Nelson Community Patrol monitor the live video feed at the police station watch house and alert officers if needed. Videotape recordings of the CCTV are retained only if needed for evidence.
Signs indicate the operation of the CCTVs in Buxton and Montgomery carparks, on Bridge Street, Trafalgar Street and Church Hill.
Be safer in your home - tips
Sense of ownership
Places that demonstrate a sense of ownership promote respect and boundary responsibility. Showing a space is cared for will make the offender feel that she or he will look out of place and their presence will be challenged.
Maintenance is key to ensuring a sense of ownership.
Tips
Clearly define your private property boundary (e.g. yard, driveway, and walkway) from public space (e.g. street, footpath) by landscaping, (e.g. alternate paving stone colour, low shrubbery or low fencing).
Access to your house
Make it easy for the right people to find their way into your house and harder for intruders.
It’s much better if people don’t have to GUESS to find the entrance. You don’t want to give people an excuse to wander around your house, so provide them with a footpath leading to the front door.
Tips
Consider defensive planting. Use low thorny bushes beneath ground level windows.
See and be seen
It is important to maintain visibility between houses and streets. People in the street and neighbours who can see your house provide additional security.
Tips
Make sure you can see public spaces; i.e. streets and reserves.
Make entrances visible and overlooked by a window if possible.
Lighting
Ensure appropriate lighting for streets, paths, alleys, and parks. Lighting is an important element in any site design. It should provide clear paths for movement and highlight entryways without creating harsh effects or shadowy hiding places. Lighting removes the cover of darkness that offenders need to commit crime.
Tips
Call your Council if you feel the lighting in public reserves is inadequate.
Install sensor lights on your property.
Maintenance
Keeping your place maintained shows your home is cared for and offenders will know they might be challenged.
Tips
Be careful that bushes don’t overwhelm sightlines.
Do not plant shrubs that obscure visibility of front fences.
Prune selectively to open up sightlines and reduce places to hide.
Trim the lower branches of trees to a canopy height of 2 metres allowing sightlines underneath them.
Fences
Fences can define boundaries and ownership but should also allow clear views of surrounding area. Low fences allow neighbours to get to know each other and watch out for each other. See ‘See and be seen’.
Tips
Keep fences low – 1.2 metres high at most, not obscuring the entrance.
Reserve boundary
Is your property on the boundary of a reserve? If so allow oversight from the reserve to your property and from your house to reserve.
Tips
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