Summary
Aim
To describe trends in Indigenous arrest rates in New South Wales for property and violent offences.
Method
Descriptive analysis of overall and age-specific trends for property and violent crime.
Results
Over the last 15 years in NSW the rate of Indigenous arrest for violent offences has declined by nearly 37 per cent (36.81%), while the rate of Indigenous arrest for property crime has declined by almost 33 per cent (32.95%). The falls are apparent for both males and females but are most pronounced among Indigenous arrests for violent crime for males aged 15-19 (down 55.96%) and those aged 20-24 (down 58.44%).
Conclusion
If these trends continue, rates of Indigenous imprisonment may stabilize or grow less rapidly than in the past few years.