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The Australian component of the 2004 International Crime Victimisation Survey

Graham Challice and Holly Johnson
ISBN 0 642 53889 1 ; ISSN 1445-7261
Australian Institute of Criminology, 2005
(Technical and background paper series, no. 16)

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Comparison with the 2000 ICVS

Direct comparisons with the previous cycle of the ICVS in 2000 should be made with caution due to the methodological differences between the two surveys. For example, the approach taken in 2000 involved the White Pages Plus One method of sample selection, which involves selecting residential telephone numbers at random from the telephone directory and altering the last digit. Both the number selected from the directory and the altered number were used. The 2004 survey used the RDD method, which involves retaining the six-digit prefix of known telephone numbers and randomly generating the last four digits. Both methods are designed to increase the chance of selecting unlisted or not yet listed numbers. In addition, the maximum number of telephone calls made to make contact with a household was six in the 2000 survey compared with 15 in 2004. This extended call regime in 2004 was designed to enhance the representation of young people, single-person households and employed people. These differences in approach may have affected comparability in rates of victimisation between the two survey cycles, producing higher rates in the 2004 survey than might have otherwise been produced.

Adjustments were made to totals to include only those types of crime included in both the 2000 and 2004 surveys. As shown in Table 8, the five-year rate of overall victimisation showed a small but statistically significant decline over the two time points, from 55 per cent of persons in 2000 to 52 per cent in 2004. However, the only crime to decline significantly was personal theft not involving burglary or violence. This is a relatively minor but high volume crime. One-year rates are more indicative of current crime conditions and the overall percentage of persons in each sample who reported at least one victimisation in the 12-month period prior to the survey declined from 24 per cent to 17 per cent, a statistically significant drop. Crimes showing significant declines were personal theft, burglary and theft from motor vehicles.

Table 8 : Comparative rates of victimisation, 2000 and 2004 (per cent)
	One-year rates		Five-year rates
	2000	2004	2000	2004
Total victims	24	17^*	55	52^*
Assault/threats	6	5	19	18
Robbery	1	1	4	3
Personal theft	7	4^*	18	14^*
Burglary	4	3^*	14	13
Attempted burglary	3	2	11	10
Motor vehicle theft	2	1	7	7
Theft from motor vehicle	7	5^*	19	19
Motorcycle theft	0.1	0.1	1	1
Bicycle theft	2	1	7	6
^* difference is significant p<0.05 Totals for 2000 have been adjusted to include only those crimes included in the 2004 survey. Due to other adjustments made to the 2000 datafile to ensure compatibility with the 2004 survey, figures differ from those published in Carcach and Makkai 2003. Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, International Crime Victimisation Survey, 2000 and 2004 [computer files]

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