2011 Crime Stats

The 2011 crime states have been released.  The overall crime rate is down 5.6% from 2010, and from 2009 is down 11.9%. Of course the overall crime stat figure is not that meaningful as it counts all crimes as equal, and some crimes can be affected by how active Police are (drug offences for example).

Hence I always like to look at violent crimes, as these can be most devastating, and least likely to be impacted by other factors.

• The homicide  rate is down 15% in 2011, and 36% over two years.
• The total assault rate is down 9% over two years. It had increased by 30% over the last four years before that.
• The Serious assaults resulting in injuries rate dropped 11% over two years. In the previous four years (05 to 09)   the rate increased by 18%,
• There were just 39 murders in 2011 – equal low with 1995
• There were 83 homicides, which is lower than any other year since the current data series began in 1994

Overall very pleasing to see that the previous trend of increasing violent crime has now reduced for two years in a row.