No.28 Understanding Crime Trends in Australia

Much has been said and written in recent years about trends in crime in Australia, and about how accurately these trends are reflected in official statistics and reported in the media. This debate can become quite heated, with the various parties, including politicians, police, criminologists, victims and journalists, accusing each other of misinterpreting the few available facts. All too often, it seems that these arguments hinder serious debate about the objective we all have in development of successful policies for crime prevention and control. This report demonstrates that much of the public concern about apparent rising increases in crime has been generated by over-simplistic interpretations of crime statistics in the last 20 years or so, and that many suggested crime strategies have been founded on a limited understanding of the profound changes that have occurred in Australian society in those decades. What is required is much broader, better-informed and cooperative public action to achieve effective crime strategies. Such strategies cannot all be left to the criminal justice system. There is a role for other experts such as economists, town planners and educationalists, as well as a need to involve the wider community