Armed robbery in Australia : 2003 National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program annual report

Maria Borzycki, Yuka Sakurai and Jenny Mouzos
ISBN 0 642 53872 7 ; ISSN 1326-6004
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology: 2004
(Research and public policy series, no. 62)

Foreword

The National armed robbery monitoring program (NARMP) was developed to monitor and report on armed robbery trends in Australia, on the recommendation of the Australasian Police Ministers' Council. Unlike other crime involving property theft, the real or implied violence associated with armed robbery can result in physical and often significant psychological trauma beyond the loss of material belongings. By examining armed robberies over time, especially the way weapons are employed in this crime, we can gain insights into how in the future we might best safeguard against armed robbery and its negative outcomes.

This inaugural annual report summarises information derived from the first year of NARMP data collection: 2003. The nearly 9,000 reported cases of armed robbery victimisation in Australia are examined in terms of the incident, the victim and the offender. Aspects of this crime that have not previously been closely examined, such as the type of property stolen from victims, are included and add detail to our understanding of armed robbery. The information derived from the NARMP complements other recorded crime data; a fuller picture of armed robbery in Australia is constructed because for the first time we have a range of characteristics to enable us to build better profiles. This picture can then assist law enforcement and those responsible for the development of crime-reduction initiatives.

The NARMP depends on the cooperation of the police services in each Australian state and territory to this national initiative. In its efforts to ensure that the AIC is providing information that is both useful and timely, several roundtables have been convened to assess the quality of the material being produced out of the NARMP. As part of its commitment to timeliness, separate six-monthly reports are provided to each jurisdiction. The AIC looks forward to working with police services to further enhance the program.

The utility of monitoring programs is often not evident for some years and requires a strategic investment in data and research. For example, the Institute's National homicide monitoring program (NHMP) is regarded as the best comprehensive national collection on homicide throughout the world, and has provided invaluable data to homicide sqads across Australia. The program has been running for 15 years. As the data collection for the NARMP grows over time, it is hoped that the AIC will build a knowledge base for armed robbery that is commensurate with the information provided from the NHMP.

Toni Makkai
Director
Australian Institute of Criminology