Night of the living dead

Whenever I've opened the paper recently, there have been brutal attacks, often seemingly random. Violence for violence's sake.

The Wellington based Radio NZ bulletins editor, Phillip Cottrell, walking home at 5:30am in December was bludgeoned to death.

The tragic story of the 5 year old girl sexually and physically attacked at a Turangi camp.

Then a man clubbed in Tauranga a few nights ago, fighting for his life now.

And today, a man stabbed in Napier, now on life support.

I know of a couple of random beatings in our neighbourhood too. There are also less fatal incidents, which in a way are as serious, which don't always make it to the papers.

Are there more vampires and zombies roaming the streets? Can we assume so, making the carrying of a firearm (with silver bullets) an understandable precaution?

It is beyond the capacity of the Police to protect - indeed, some police were set upon and beaten when responding to a domestic incident recently. They can barely protect themselves. The deterrence of being caught and arrested seems to have faded, and part of this is the reluctance of judges to put people in jail even for serious crimes. When they do go to jail, they often serve the minimum possible time before being released.

The time is coming when we will see an increase in community organised vigilante groups.