Crime rate on the rise in Victoria

Robberies, drug offences and harassment cases have pushed Victoria’s crime rate up in nearly all metrics.

There was a 4.6 per cent increase in criminal incidents in Victoria in 2019. Picture: AAP

A jump in robberies, drug offences and harassment cases has pushed Victoria’s crime rate up in nearly all metrics – including the number of victims and crimes per capita.

Crime Statistics Agency data released on Thursday shows the number of criminal incidents increased by 4.6 per cent in 2019, to 403,807, which has seen the per capita rate reach 6,122.4 incidents per 100,000 people.

The number of incidents where drug offences were the most serious crime committed rose by 7.7 per cent, while property and deception offences increased by 6.0 per cent.

Crimes against the person increased by 4.2 per cent.

The number of victims reporting crimes rose 5.6 per cent in the same period, amounting to 317,675.

CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley also said family violence was on the rise.

Family-related incidents were the highest on record last year, reaching 84,550 incidents. This was a 6.6 per cent increase on the previous year.

“The number of family incidents recorded by Victoria Police has been increasing since the introduction of initiatives in 2011 such the Family Violence Code of Practice,” she said.

“In the last 12 months recorded offences with a family violence flag have increased by 7.4 per cent to 100,128 offences.”