Lawmakers Gather for Debate Session - The state legislature reviews crime statistics during a session.
In the Landtag's recent meeting in Mainz, the legislators debated the importance of a Periodic Security Report for the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Members of the CDU party proposed creating this report, but the ruling coalition dismissed the idea. The CDU's Dirk Herber voiced his concern that the Police Criminal Statistics (PKS) didn't include all crimes; in 2023, around 50,000 were excluded from the PKS for this state. Herber recommended combining PKS data with crime statistics from justice business statistics to enhance crime-fighting.
The chairman of the Freie Wähler fraction, Joachim Streit, agreed that a report of this kind could boost preventive measures' effectiveness.
Philipp Fernis, the leader of the FDP fraction, expressed his doubts about forming a truly comprehensive picture of crime with a manageable budget. However, he acknowledged that more in-depth investigations into unexplored crime areas could be beneficial. Crimes against sexual self-determination, according to him, fit this description.
Minister Ebling countered by mentioning other reports, like the regular report on interior security and the current crime-fighting status, which were already available. He wondered if a Periodic Security Report would provide any fresh insights during an era of fast-evolving crime trends.
Yet, focusing more on regional or local aspects might be useful. Regional citizen surveys, like those conducted in Neuwied on the topic of personal security, could serve as a template, Ebling proposed, even if he joked about sponsoring the survey himself. The Greens-Fraktion's parliamentary business manager, Carl-Bernhard von Heusinger, similarly urged municipalities to conduct similar surveys.
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During the debate, it was suggested that a Periodic Security Report could be beneficial for Rhineland-Palatinate, with the Freie Wähler's Joachim Streit voicing his support. Dirk Herber from the CDU expressed his concern about the exclusion of certain crimes from the Police Criminal Statistics (PKS), urging for the combination of PKS data with justice business statistics to improve crime-fighting. Philipp Fernis of the FDP had reservations about forming a comprehensive picture of crime with a limited budget, but acknowledged the potential benefits of investigating unexplored crime areas. Minister Ebling, from the SPD, countered with existing reports on interior security and crime-fighting, and suggested focusing on regional or local aspects, citing citizen surveys in Neuwied as a potential template. Meanwhile, the Greens-Fraktion's Carl-Bernhard von Heusinger also urged municipalities to conduct similar surveys. The debate took place in Mainz, the capital city of Rhineland-Palatinate.
