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Different eyes, ears and pens

Different perspectives are important. If not, one will end up with tunnel vision, a 'one-track' mind, etc. So I guess having different newspapers in front of you might help you develop the habit of looking at things from different perspectives.

Topic for the day: crime statistics for the first half of the year

This was front-page news on the ST: 'Cellphone thefts fall for first time in three years', subtitle: 'Drop due to measures that make it tough for thieves to sell off stolen handsets'. There was also a small box entitled '220 letters sent to parents (telling them their children had been caught loitering beyond 11pm)'. Most of the main article (14 out of 20 paragraphs -- ha ha, so wuliao, got time to count paragraphs) is on the cellphone theft thing, with the last 6 paras on other crimes.

On page 10 in TODAY, you have 'S'pore crime rate declines', subtitle: 'Fewer teenagers arrested but rise in rape and murder cases'. This article devotes just ONE of 11 paras to the cellphone stuff and TWO to the 216 letters to parents. The rest of the article presents the other info provided by the Senior Asst Commissioner of Police on crime in the first half of the year. The info includes:
Ooverall drop in crime rate compared to the same period last year
Odrop in crimes such as housebreaking and robbery
Odrop in number of teenage arrests
Orise in serious crime such as murder and rape
(the ST article reported just SOME of these)

Interesting, isn't it? The front-page one focused on cellphones and the page 10 one, well, gave the big picture. Are you all very interested in cellphone theft?

Anyway, I am increasingly irritated by the increasing number of jibes at bloggers who are hiding under their 'cloak(s) of anonymity', this Forum letter being the latest in the series. I WILL keep mine on.

Comments

Anonymous said…
i heard this report on the news yesterday. the drop in petty crime is good, but serious crimes are on the rise! and the police said this is no cause for concern?
dee
Anonymous said…
Hi Dee
I think it's because most of the murders and rapes were committed by people known to the victims, so it's not that the population in general is in greater danger. Hopefully...

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