Crime and Justice Statistics for Western Australia: 2004rELEASED ON fRIDAY, December 9, 2005 Motor Vehicle Theft drops to one third of 1995 levelThe University of Western Australia’s Crime Research Centre’s latest report Crime and Justice Statistics for Western Australia: 2004, describes trends and patterns in crime, police arrests, criminal court activity, imprisonment and juvenile contact with criminal justice.“Western Australia continues to lead Australia’s motor vehicle theft decline, and WA motor vehicle theft rates have decreased by almost two-thirds since 1995,” Centre Director Mr Frank Morgan said. On the general decline in crime rates, Mr Morgan said: “The rate of recorded crime in Western Australia decreased by 14.2 percent in the twelve months to December 31, 2004. Property crime rates decreased 18.9 percent, including burglary (down 23.8 percent) and motor vehicle theft (down 28.9 percent). Fraud and other theft also dropped,” he said. “However, the rate of offences against the person increased by 9.1 percent. In this category, the rate of assault increased by 15.3 percent, but rates of recorded sexual offences declined by 10.8 percent and robbery decreased by 17.9 percent. Assault increases in 2004 were largely restricted to offences occurring in dwellings and are linked with changes in police procedures with respect to domestic violence, and with changes in domestic violence legislation in December 2004. The number of murders increased from 26 to 38, but there is no evidence of a longer-term increase in murder rates.” National comparisons are included in the report. “Western Australia recorded higher rates than the comparable Australian rates for homicide offences (excluding driving causing death), unarmed robbery and blackmail and extortion, but lower rates for armed robbery and kidnapping and abduction. For property offences, Western Australia recorded comparably higher rates than Australia for unlawful entry and other theft. The State remained in highest position for burglary in 2004,” Mr Morgan said. Compared to 2003, the total number of arrests increased by 12.6 percent and the total number of distinct persons arrested increased by 9.5 percent. Indigenous people were arrested at 8.6 times the rate of non-Indigenous people. Commenting on increases in the prison population, Mr Morgan said: "Compared with 2003 figures, prison receptions in 2004 increased by 11 percent, while the prison census population increased by 14 percent. Based on average daily prisoner population, WA continues to rank second in the country (behind the Northern Territory) in rates of adult imprisonment." Imprisonment has increasingly involved Indigenous offenders, particularly Indigenous women. “Almost two-thirds of all prison receptions for motor vehicle or driving-related offences were of Indigenous offenders, and almost half of all female Indigenous prisoners were imprisoned for fine-default. Indigenous people accounted for 40 percent of prisoners on census night,” Mr Morgan said. In the adult criminal courts, the number of charges dealt with remained relatively constant in the Courts of Petty Sessions, and decreased by three percent in the Higher Courts. Compared with 2003 figures, the total number of community-based orders issued to offenders in 2004 rose by 11 percent, but state parole orders dropped by 12 percent. Compared to other States and Territories, the WA juvenile detention rate (51.9 per 100,000 juvenile persons) was the highest in the country. The WA Indigenous juvenile detention rate was 654.6 per 100,000 Indigenous juveniles – also the highest in the country. This rate was 52 times greater than that for non-Indigenous juveniles and doubled the national rate. The report, Crime and Justice Statistics for Western Australia contains detailed information on these and other crime and justice trends, and can be purchased ($30) by contacting the Administrative Secretary, Crime Research Centre at UWA, +61 8 6488 2830 or email crime.research@uwa.edu.au Downloads |