Summary
Aim
This bulletin describes trends in the recorded incidence of major categories of property and violent crime between 1990 and 2004 in New South Wales.
Abstract
This bulletin describes trends in the recorded incidence of major categories of property and violent crime between 1990 and 2004 in New South Wales. Crime statistics recorded by police show that the recorded rates of assault and sex offences have increased significantly over the past 15 years. The rates of robbery without a weapon and robbery with a weapon other than a firearm both increased throughout the 1990s but have since fallen substantially. The two other personal crimes considered, murder and robbery with a firearm, both showed consistent reductions over the 15 years. For property offences, the recorded rate of break and enter – dwelling, break and enter – non-dwelling and motor vehicle theft increased throughout the mid to late 1990s. Since 2001, however, there have been sharp declines in the rates of these offences so that they are now at their lowest levels in 15 years.