No ‘Wave of Violence’ according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research

Release date: Monday, 28 May 2018

 

Claims by the Police Association that NSW is about to experience a 'wave of violence' are nothing but alarmist and self-serving nonsense according to the Executive Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

"The trend for virtually all categories of violent crime in NSW over the last 17 years has been down, not up. In NSW since 2000:

• The murder rate has fallen by 68.4%
• The non-domestic assault rate has fallen by 35.4%
• The rate of assault against police has fallen by 34.5%
• The rate of abduction/kidnapping has fallen by 51.7%
• The rate of robbery with a firearm has fallen by 87.3%
• The rate of unarmed robbery has fallen by 83.7%
• The rate of robbery with a weapon other than a firearm has fallen by 85.1%

Even shooting offences, which were a big problem, are now down by 59.4% compared to what they were in 2000.

The only categories of violent crime to show an increase since 2000 are sexual offences and domestic assault.

It is likely that some, if not all of the increase in these categories is due to greater willingness on the part of victims (and their carers) to report these crimes to police."

Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn (02) 8346 1100