Identifying the True Danger

Safety is the result of facing facts as they are, not as we would like them to be. It is not a result of moral posturing or wishful thinking. This is never more evident than in the discussion surrounding offender profiling, a useful tool used by communities, security, and capable law enforcement. However, the rise of political correctness in Australia, especially in the Northern Territory, has made profiling a taboo topic, police advised not to use it therefore reducing its usefulness and putting the public at risk.

The idea underlying profiling is simple. Crime trends are not arbitrary. Place, opportunity, routine, and, occasionally, predictable offender traits all influence them. Denying this fact protects the guilty, not the innocent. It is not a virtue to refuse to accept hard facts out of concern for offending people. The repercussions are genuine, and it is cowardice disguised as compassion.

Crime is not an accident, it is an act. It is committed by people who make decisions, frequently on a regular basis. Through profiling, professionals can disrupt criminal networks, intervene before escalation, and direct scarce resources where they are most needed. It is a question of statistical reasoning, pattern recognition, and psychological insight, not bias, when applied appropriately. Wilful blindness demanded by "sensitivity training" and blanket prohibitions do not stop abuse, they stop results, and lead to predictable harm, which is borderline criminally negligent.

Victimisation is a measure of the cost of ideological censorship. Crime rates increase in specific neighbourhoods or groups when law enforcement is under pressure to refrain from "over-policing" them. The message is clear, that certain types of offences are less likely to be investigated or punished, and the law will not be applied consistently. In the NT it is evident by the rulings of several judicial members that identity, race, culture and gender all play a significant role in the sentencing recommended. This does not promote harmony or inclusivity. It abandons victims, who are typically the most vulnerable members of the community, and encourages predators.

Isolated from the consequences of failure, bureaucrats, non-governmental organisations, and pundits maintain that "cultural safety" and "community trust" necessitate the suspension of judgement. The result is not safer streets or better relations, but rather the entrenchment of crime and the widening gap between the privileged and the rest of society.

The law-abiding, the productive, and the defenceless must make their way through a system that prioritises the safety of the many over the discomfort of the few.

Because profiling is based on empirical reality rather than ideological abstraction, it is effective. There are patterns. There are risk factors. If ignored, signals from backgrounds, associations, and behaviours can transform an opportunity into tragedy. To act otherwise is to reject reason and facts. Using every tool that works and getting rid of the ones that don't is the key to effective crime prevention, not caving in to public relations firms or activist advocacy groups that promote apartheid policies.

The community's safety cannot simply be sacrificed for political fashion. The courage to act on facts rather than fictions is necessary for real justice. A society that values appearances over results will soon find itself lacking in security and rich in rhetoric. Ultimately, no one is safer when the true threat is not profiled. It merely makes sure that those who are most in need of protection are not protected, and those who prey on them are not confronted. This is abandonment posing as progressivism. It is not progress.

Crime prevention will continue to be jeopardised until political correctness is placed in its rightful place, beneath the demands of responsibility, reason, and fact. And as usual, those who can least afford it will bear the expense.

From the author.

The opinions and statements are those of Sam Wilks and do not necessarily represent whom Sam Consults or contracts to. Sam Wilks is a skilled and experienced Security and Risk Consultant with 3 decades of expertise in the fields of Real estate, Security, and the hospitality/gaming industry. Sam has trained over 1,000 entry level security personnel, taught defensive tactics, weapons training and handcuffs to policing personnel and the public. His knowledge and practical experience have made him a valuable asset to many organisations looking to enhance their security measures and provide a safe and secure environment for their clients and staff.