ABS National Recorded Crime Statistics - 2001 (BCSR Commentary)

Release date: 30 May 2002

The national recorded crime statistics released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics broadly confirm figures released in April this year by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research in showing significant upward trends over the past two years in the number of robberies and assaults recorded by NSW police, and a slight downward trend in break and enter.

The ABS report shows, however, that other States experienced substantial increases in the rates of both robbery and assault.

The increase over the last two years in the Victorian recorded robbery rate (33%) was significantly higher than the increase in NSW (13%). The corresponding increase in Tasmania (11%) was somewhat lower but still large. Queensland and the Northern Territory also experienced increases in recorded robbery rates but the increases were only moderate (7% and 3%, respectively).

All States except the Northern Territory experienced an increase in the number of assaults recorded by police. The increases in the rate of assault between 2000 and 2001 were: Tasmania (28%), Victoria (12 %), ACT and NSW (both 9%), Queensland and WA (both 6%) and SA (5%).

All States experienced an increase in the rate of recorded sexual assault between 2000 and 2001. The increases were: ACT and the Northern Territory (18%), WA (8%), SA (7%), Queensland (5%), NSW (4%), Tasmania (3%) and Victoria (2%).

The national results show that, as in past years, the only offences for which NSW rates higher than any other State are robbery and kidnapping/abduction. However the Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Dr Don Weatherburn questioned the ABS figures on kidnapping/abduction.

‘The figures on kidnapping/abduction provided to the ABS by States such as WA, SA, QLD and Victoria are way out of kilter with their own published figures on the recorded rates of this offence’, he said. ‘The ABS are investigating the discrepancy’.

The ABS report shows that police recorded crime in most major categories has risen substantially over the past decade.

The ABS figures show that the increases in assault and robbery have been more pronounced in NSW than in any other State. However WA, Victoria, Tasmania, and the ACT have also experienced sizeable increases in one or both of these offences’.

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