NSW Recorded Crime Statistics Mar 2016

Full report - NSW Recorded Crime Statistics quarterly update March 2016 (PDF, 925.1 KB) 

Release date: 10.30am Wednesday, 8 June, 2016

Statewide trends

In the 24 months to March 2016, two of the 17 major offences showed a significant upward trend across NSW, seven were trending downward and the remaining eight offences were stable. The offences trending upward were steal from retail store (up 7.9%) and indecent assault, act of indecency and other sexual offences (up 8.4%).

The offences trending down were:

1. robbery without a weapon (down 23.3%);
2. robbery with a firearm (down 38.7%);
3. robbery with a weapon not a firearm (down 21.6%);
4. break and enter dwelling (down 7.8%);
5. break and enter non-dwelling (down 7.1%);
6. steal from motor vehicle (down 5.1%).

The number of murders also declined from 89 in the 12 months to March 2015 to 64 in the 12 months to March 2016.

Regional Trends: Greater Sydney

Across Greater Sydney there were 18 significant increases in crime and 36 significant decreases. The offence showing the largest number of increases was steal from a retail store, which increased in the Central Coast (up 26.1%), the Eastern Suburbs (up 32.4%), the Outer West and Blue Mountains (up 19.8%) and Sutherland (up 40.9%).

There were also significant increases in break and enter (non-dwelling) in the Northern Beaches (up 36.3%), indecent assault in the Outer South West (up 35.7%) and sexual assault in the City and Inner South (up 18.3%) and the Eastern Suburbs (up 26.2%).

Seven of the 15 statistical areas in the Greater Sydney Statistical Area experienced a fall in break and enter dwelling.

Regional Trends: Outside Greater Sydney

The regional picture has improved since the last quarterly report. In the Hunter Valley, robbery, break and enter (non-dwelling) and stealing from a motor vehicle are now stable after having increased by 47.8 per cent, 25.9 per cent and 6.6 per cent in the two years preceding the last quarterly report.

Among the top 17 offence categories, those showing the most substantial growth are fraud (up substantially in seven statistical areas) and indecent assault, act of indecency and other sexual offences (up substantially in four statistical areas).

Very few areas in regional NSW recorded a decrease in crime.

Other noteworthy trends

The incidence of amphetamine possession has increased by 25%. The figure below shows, however, that this increase largely occurred between April 2014 and July 2015. Since then recorded incidence has plateaued, albeit at a historically high level.

There have also been increases in a number of other drug possession offences, including cocaine possession (up 25%) and ecstasy possession (up 15%)

A number of enforcement related offences also are trending upwards including:

• receiving or handling stolen goods (up 6.5%);
• trespass (up 8.6%);
• breach AVO (up 6.6%);
• breach bail up (13.0%).

Perhaps as a result of the additional enforcement there has also been a significant increase in court actions commenced by police. The number of persons of interest proceeded against to court rose by 7.3% in the last 24 months; an increase of 10,412 alleged offenders.

Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn (02) 8346 1100
Copies of the report: www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au