NSW Recorded Crime Statistics 2000

Release date: 19 April 2001

Property crime increased but violent crime remained stable across New South Wales over the two year period to December 2000, according to the latest crime figures released today by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

The Bureau reports an increase in break and enters involving non-dwellings (up 8.1%), motor vehicle theft (up 8.2%) and thefts from a motor vehicle (up 15%).

Across New South Wales as a whole, the number of murders, assaults, sexual assaults, indecent assaults (and related sexual offences), robberies, break and enters (involving dwellings), thefts from a retail store, thefts from the person, thefts from a dwelling, fraud and malicious damage to property remained stable.

Although regional trends in recorded crime broadly reflect the State-wide picture in relation to offences which are rising or stable, there are a number of exceptionsFor a comprehensive summary of the regional trends see the companion report: NSW Recorded Crime Statistics 2000: Regional Analysis of Crime Trends, Crime and Justice Statistics, Bureau Brief. Note that a significant increase in the number of sexual assaults was recorded in the Richmond-Tweed and Northern Statistical Divisions. These changes are probably the result of new procedures adopted by the Department of Community Services and the NSW Police Service designed to facilitate reporting of child sexual assault offences.. The most notable of these are:

Significant ‘Significant’ in the present context means ‘10 per cent or greater’. increases in the number of assaults recorded in the Richmond-Tweed, Hunter and Illawarra Statistical Divisions and in the Hornsby-Ku-ring-gai Statistical Subdivision (Note that the increase in assault recorded in the Hunter and Illawarra Statistical Divisions was caused by an increase in reporting of domestic assault. The growth in assault in these areas may therefore simply reflect increased willingness to report this offence).

Significant increases in the number of robberies recorded in the Eastern Suburbs, Central Western Sydney, Outer South Western Sydney, Blacktown-Baulkham Hills and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Statistical Subdivisions.

A significant increase in the number of incidents involving theft from a dwelling recorded in the Illawarra Statistical Division.

Significant increases in the number of incidents involving stealing from a person in the St George-Sutherland, Fairfield-Liverpool, Blacktown-Baulkham Hills and Gosford-Wyong Statistical Subdivisions.

Significant decreases in the number of sexual offences in the Canterbury-Bankstown Statistical Subdivision.

A significant decrease in the number of robberies recorded in the Canterbury-Bankstown Statistical Subdivision and the Hunter Statistical Division.

Many of the areas showing increases in recorded crime are areas which had and still have relatively low rates of offending.

Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn (02) 9231 9190 (wk) / 0419 494 408 (mob)