Quayle, I agree with the gist of your post - crime is not coloured. Crime is often a symptom of deprivation and poverty, though, which is possibly why crime rates tend to be higher in areas with large indigenous populations. I live in such an area, and will note that the only crimes committed against my property have been committed by Aboriginal people. But I put that down to the concentration of Aboriginal people in the area, making it more likely that an Aboriginal person will commit a crime or, conversely, do a good deed, at any given time. I don't attribute it to any inherent "badness" in our indigenous population.

I do have to ask where you get your statistics from. For example, you state that "statistically more anglo-Australians commit crime then Aboriginal people". Is this because there are more Anglo-Australians, or are you referring to percentages? If it is the latter, then why are indigenous people over-represented (statistically) in our prisons? And please don't just reply that the legal system is inherently racist. I sincerely doubt that the majority of judges and magistrates in our country are "out to get" black people.

Quayle
Otokonoko makes some good points.

Using the race card inappropriately does just as much damage to racial relations as outright prejudice. Same goes for those who accuse someone of rape only to find out later the charges were bogus and retracted.

There is no point talking about Indigenous disadvantage including higher incarceration rates and then pretending Indigenous crime does not exist. We need to ask why and then do something to turn the situation around.

Interesting enough our Police force could be reduced by 80% if you take away aboriginal crime from my town. Given that they make up only 10-15% of the population you have to be in outright denial if you can't see the problem. Our prison has 90% plus aboriginals. Some of my best friends are aboriginals and they are first to acknowledge the problems. Its a pity so many academics shove their head in the sand or try to impress the inept political UN instead of coming out of denial.

For once I agree with Pelican who writes

'There is no point talking about Indigenous disadvantage including higher incarceration rates and then pretending Indigenous crime does not exist. We need to ask why and then do something to turn the situation around.'

The easy option is obviously to label the many victims of crime racist. One of our new arrivals from Sth Africa thought they were getting away from house break ins etc. They were sadly disappointed. Then again they must be racist!

Otokonoko, "As a veteran, do you believe that you fought for freedom of speech? I don't know what war(s) or conflict(s) you fought in, but I can't think of a single war in which Australia's freedom of speech was at stake."

Are you kidding? Ever heard of the bombing of Darwin and Kokoda for starters? If the US had not lost thousands of lives defending us in the Battle of the Coral Sea it is London to a brick few of us might ever have been born, let alone have the freedom of speech we should treasure.

Otokono, I'm from Townsville and I assure you, the local Magistrates and the terms they give for the same offence, with the same record, to aboriginal defendants EXCEED dramatically those given to white's from the suburbs (excluding those from Wulguru, Oonoonba, West End or North Ward).

One thing I have noticed, given that my family remains there (and deal with prisoners), is that although the demographics of Townsville have changed DRAMATICALLY over the last 20 years (about doubled in size), the same suburbs still make up the vast bulk of the prison population (regardless of race).

As a juvenile in Townsville I was subjected to continued, serious Police Harassment (Town High, shrug), and witnessed most of my friends (and enemies - Town High, it was simple if you were white you fought the blacks & vice-versa, I'm now friends with most of both, go figure). The obvious response from adolescents to continued harassment is in reality a self-fulfilling prophecy, particularly when you factor in the fact that the parents/families of these adolescents had been subjected to this as well.

I'm lucky, I got out of the place before I ended up on the merry-go-round (Jail-Parole-Charge-Bail)... Funny thing is, those older suburbs are majorly over-represented in Stuart Ck Correctional Facility, and I put it to you that it is the constant harassment of adolescents that is a major factor in it.

Then again, Townsville has changed. I visited my family a while back, to see on the front page, that some clown had been belted by his girlfriends ex-husband IN OONOONBA? Damn, it got reported? I mean, that ain't the Oonoonba I remember, I've seen stabbings down there go unreported.

Get off the white & black thing mate, Johnathon Thurston was arrested outside his own house? Why? Because he was black & didn't fit in in a rich suburb. Did he complain? Nope, he was treated like any other black fella in Townsville, ie. like crap.

Between that and pigs getting away with murder? Careful, Townsville is not a smart place to get too loud with the race card.

Custard,

Johnathan Thurston?
Bollocks it was because he was black and didn't fit in with the rich suburb. Johnathan is a fine footballer, but he himself admitted he was a party animal who drank to excess. He said the rest of the team had to take him in hand. Any young fellow found paralytic from booze or drugs will most likely end up charged and in the watch-house, how else are the cops going to ensure the person is safe (duty of care) and maybe learns something from his mistake?

There can't be too much 'discrimination' against Johnathan, he was after all one of Cleo magazine's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors for 2006.