It was with some surprise and pleasure when I learnt yesterday (19) that crime was down almost 10% from last year.

You see, I had perceived the opposite.

However, I perceive the last six months this year may unfortunately be different.

My perception of crime increase was way off when incidents of armed robbery, rape, murder, aggravated burglary, assault, murder and attempted murder, fell 24%.

However, my perception was right when it came to burglaries. They have increased over 16%.

Road fatalities are alarmingly bad. Six fatalities so far this year in comparison to no fatalities during the first half of 2014.

We are also calling the police more. 14,000 calls so far over the first half of the year and increasing.

“The steady increase in calls for service demonstrates an increasing demand for policing,” observed Chief Superintendent Walton, “and that the public is relying on us more and more.”

We all perceive and we are often wrong but writer of psychology, Donn Lee, perceives perception is, practically speaking, more important than truth.

We can change our perception. We can change it to anything we like. We cannot, however, change truth.

Lee writes:

“Truth vs Perception In Advertising

“In advertising, a lot of things are sold not on truth, but on perception. If you’ve ever heard of the brand “Rolex”, you’ll know that it’s priced way higher than other watches. But still people buy it. People don’t buy a “Rolex” simply because it tells time better or more accurately, but because of the perceived quality of it.

“People perceive person with a Rolex as a person with success, prestige and class. In truth, it is nothing but a watch that tells time, isn’t it?
Truth vs Perception In Motivation

“Perhaps one of the most documented things about perception in the self-help industry is the way self-perceptions (the perception of the self,) tends to be so limiting. One of the most famous stories on self-limiting perceptions is the story of Roger Bannister, the man of the four minute mile.

“For years, the belief was that running a mile in four minutes was physically impossible. No one could ever do it, they (the critics) said. But they were wrong. In 1954, Bannister broke that long held belief with a time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds — the world was stunned. Now, high-school students break that record for fun (gifted high-school students no doubt).

“In conclusion: Perception’s probably more important than Truth

“In our daily lives, I would say our perception of reality is infinitely more important than reality itself. It isn’t that reality/absolute truth is not important, since reality is what we base our perceptions on. But that perceptions are the ones that can make reality real.

“When we don’t believe in something, how can it be real? Until we start believing we can, we can’t.” SOURCE: http://edonn.com/2003/10/07/truth-vs-perception/

I have become much more vigilant because of my perception that crime was increasing – a lot. Now that perception is wrong my guard will automatically slip. Subconsciously it will now and there is nothing I can do to stop that.

Now I was right with my perception regarding an increase in burglaries so my vigilance there remains at the same level- high.

The good thing is that I perceive the next six months the crime figures won’t be so good. That should knock out my subconscious actions regarding the slipping of my guard. I hope so and so should you.