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Australian Crime : facts and figures 2004
Foreword
This compendium of the most recently available national information on crime in Australia is intended to serve as a ready reference. It covers different types of recorded crimes, their place of occurrence, victim details, responses of criminal justice agencies, and government resources directed to deal with crime.
Although the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has been collecting and analysing data for the past 30 years, the availability of national statistics on major crimes is a relatively recent phenomenon. This publication makes use of those national statistics collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as well as a variety of other sources.
Administrative collections, such as police and court statistics, provide only one picture of the true level of crime in Australia. Crime victimisation surveys routinely find that only about 40% of crimes are reported to the police, and this varies according to crime type. Reporting rates are as high as 95% for motor vehicle theft and as low as 14% for partner violence.
As a result, it is important to use both administrative and survey-based information to help inform our understanding of the level and effects of crime in the community. The data here primarily comprise national figures; where national data are not available other sources are used. Readers looking for additional information should consult the appropriate publications and web sites included in the reference section of this document.
The Australian Institute of Criminology prepares materials containing the latest data on crime and justice issues and produces a number of publications on a wide range of issues. Further information may be obtained by visiting the AIC web site, or contacting the Institute.
Toni Makkai
Director
December 2004
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