Newshub can reveal the most murderous areas in New Zealand, with data showing where the bulk of recent killings have taken place.
And it can be revealed 51 murders were committed between January and October 27, 2022 - only one less than the whole of 2021.
Police crime data from 2020 to October 2022, released under the Official Information Act (OIA), showed Counties Manukau had the most murders during that time period with 27.
The second-most was Bay of Plenty on 24.
Canterbury (20) had the next most murders during the almost three-year period followed by Waitematā (17), Waikato (13), Auckland and Central (12 each).
"Please note there are limitations to this data. Police investigate all suspicious deaths and these investigations require time to complete," acting national criminal investigations group director Geoffrey Jago said in the OIA response.
"Although a death may appear suspicious at first, investigations may conclude the death was not murder. Until such a determination is made, murder statistics are considered incomplete."
The areas with the fewest murders between 2020 and October this year were Tasman (3), Eastern and Southern (4 each).
Jago noted the data only included "victimisations for a criminal offence for [a] murder that has been recorded in the police system".
"Suspicious deaths where a homicide offence has not been established by police investigators are not included."
Comparing New Zealand's recent figures to the Republic of Ireland, both with similar population bases, 39 homicide offences were recorded in Ireland in 2021 v NZ's 52. In 2020, New Zealand recorded 46 and Ireland 78.
According to the 2022 Global Peace Index, New Zealand was the second-safest country in the world and Ireland third.
