Crime stats: COVID pushes crime rate up 4 per cent in Victoria
COVID-related offences have caused the crime rate to soar by 4 per cent, while family violence incidents increased to their highest on record.
Police & Courts
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Crime has soared in Victoria during the last year by more than four per cent but there has been a significant decrease in the number of victims.
The latest data released by the Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday morning shows the number of criminal incidents recorded by police in the year to September 30 was 413,042 — up 4.2 per cent on the previous 12 months.
The agency attributed the inclusion of six new COVID-19 related offences to the spike.
A total of 32,713 coronavirus offences were recorded across the state.
“These COVID-19-related offences have increased the number of alleged offenders processed by Victoria Police recorded and the number of police recorded criminal incidents and recorded offences,” CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said
“In the last 12 months one in 17 offences were related to COVID-19 Breach of chief health officer Directions.”
The number of total recorded offences also increased by 4.4 per cent, with more than half a million logged in the year.
Alleged offender incidents increased by a whopping 24.5 per cent while the alleged offender rate increased by 22.3 per cent.
However, victim reports decreased by 4.6 per cent in the 12 month period and business victim reports decreased by seven per cent.
Worryingly, family violence related incidents increased by 7.5 per cent, to the highest on record.
A total of 90,056 family violence incidents were recorded in the year in Victoria.
Crimes trending upward include drug dealing, drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, drug use, drug possession, breaches of orders and justice procedures.
The spike in drug related crime has come as Victoria Police launches its new five-year strategy, aiming to curb individual and community harm caused by illegal drugs.
One of the state’s top cops Rick Nugent said police had an “unwavering commitment” to combating drug-related crime.
“Police see first-hand the devastating harm drugs cause within the community each day – the drug-fuelled violence, burglaries and thefts committed to support an addiction, drug-related road trauma, family violence and sexual assaults,” Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said.
“We will continue to focus on the drugs causing the most harm within our community by arresting and prosecuting drug dealers, disrupting drug networks, and working with the community and our partners to ensure those suffering from addiction are connected to appropriate treatment and support services.
“This strategy is designed to ensure police effectively adapt to emerging drug types and evolving modes of drug distribution.”
Victoria Police said their 2020-2025 drug strategy is focused on four pillars: prevention, disruption and supply reduction, treatment and support, and harm reduction.
Offences that trended downward in the last year included arson and disorderly and offensive conduct.
Shadow Police Minister David Southwick said the government’s hotel quarantine failures had led to the increase in crime.
“It is clear that Victorians continue to pay the economic, social and community safety price of Daniel Andrews’ hotel quarantine failures and second wave,” Mr Southwick said.
“With youth unemployment and engagement in education continuing to worsen, Daniel Andrews needs to act to keep young Victorians away from a life of crime.
“While offending in New South Wales has dropped during COVID-19, Victoria is hitting record highs and is now the hardest impacted by crime.
“Labor’s prolonged lockdown has created a perfect storm for family violence - households locked-in together, reporting and fleeing more difficult and fewer police and support services on hand to help.”
Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns said Victoria Police’s plan to treat drug use as a health issue instead of a criminal issue was “welcome”.
“It has been clear for many years that criminal and law enforcement responses to the use of illicit drugs are not working,” Mr Barns said.
GREATEST CONTRIBUTORS TO TOTAL CRIME
Theft (including car theft and robberies): 169,466 offences
Justice procedures (breaching of orders, breaching of bail): 82,903 offences
Assault related: 45,195 offences
HIGHEST CRIME INCREASES
COVID-19 offences: Up 32,752 offences (from zero the previous year)
Drug use and possession: Up 5113 offences
Breach of orders: Up 3,546 offences
PERSON-RELATED VICTIM CRIME
Robberies: Down 12 per cent, or 473 offences
Carjackings: Down 3.2 per cent, or 10 offences
PERSON-RELATED VICTIM CRIME
Family Violence related assaults: Up 3 per cent
Sexual Offences: Up 5 per cent, or 753 offences
Total Assaults: Down 338 offences
BURGLARIES
Residential burglaries: Down 12 per cent
Commercial burglaries: Down 8 per cent
PROPERTY-RELATED THEFT
Overall theft: Down 4.6 per cent
Theft from cars: Down 3.6 per cent
Cars stolen: Down 3.6 per cent
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