Census 2021 Australia: Your responses help Crime Stoppers deliver crime solving and prevention activities

Taking part in the national Census helps Crime Stoppers develop and deliver crime solving and prevention activities, as well as community campaigns.

Taking part in the national Census not only helps create a better future for transport, schooling, health care and infrastructure, the data collected helps combat crime.

Up-to-date Census data ensures the country’s trusted independent link between the community and police – Crime Stoppers Australia – can continue to develop and deliver crime solving and prevention activities and campaigns.

Crime Stoppers Australia Chair Diana Forrester said the organisation used 2016 Census data to develop its multilingual Crime is Crime in Any Language campaign.

“Census data reported that only two-thirds of the Australian population were born in Australia,” Ms Forrester said.

According to latest Census data, only two-thirds of the Australian population were born in Australia. Picture: Supplied

“Communicating our message in a particular language, such as Mandarin or Arabic, helps to educate more people about the benefits of Crime Stoppers. We want them to know when to share information with us, the types of information that is most valuable, and reinforce that they can do it anonymously.”

Ms Forrester said by taking part in the 2021 Census, residents would continue to help improve the efficacy of Crime Stoppers.

“It is important for Crime Stoppers to understand trends such as movement of people from urban to regional environments, changing population data and different issues impacting on everyday Australians that fall within the Crime Stoppers remit,” she said.

“The data provided by the Census snapshot also influences the ways we engage the community and the types of advertising tactics and levels of financial commitment required to achieve effective outcomes.”

Eighty per cent of people believe Crime Stoppers was highly trusted in keeping the community safe.

A recent study conducted by Colmar Brunton for Crime Stoppers of Australians aged 13 and over found 80 per cent of people believe the organisation was highly trusted in keeping the community safe.

It also found one in five people with information about illegal activity say not providing personal details encourages them to contact Crime Stoppers.

“Our economic value to Australia has been estimated as $170 million per annum, with an additional $66 million in added value from drugs being seized, property returned, and crimes being prevented,” Ms Forrester said.

“Every dollar invested in Crime Stoppers delivers an outstanding $11.15 in returned value.

“We know that as much as 40 per cent of the information shared with Crime Stoppers by the community and passed to police would not have been reported otherwise.”

The next Census is August 10. You can complete your Census here.