Media Release: Decreases in crime in the last 12 months are offset by increases in breaches of orders

The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) released the Victorian recorded crime statistics for the year ending 30 June 2021 today.  

In the 12 months to 30 June 2021 the criminal incident rate decreased 6.6% to 5,673.0 per 100,000 Victorians as did the number of incidents, down 6.9% to 378,877 incidents.  

The recorded offences rate decreased 3.7% to 7,823.3 per 100,000 Victorians in the last 12 months, as did the number of offences, down 4.0% to 522,486. Despite this overall decrease, several offence types increased in the last 12 months. The largest increase in the last 12 months was observed for F92 Public health and safety offences (up 26,446 to 32,561 offences), the majority of which were breaches of Chief Health Officer (CHO) directions related to the COVID-19 public health response. E21 Breach family violence order offences also increased (up 7,236 to 55,252 offences). 

Alleged offender incidents increased by 15.4% (26,113 incidents) to 195,705 in the last 12 months, the rate also increased by 15.6% to 3,334.4 per 100,000 Victorians. There were 31,971 alleged offender incidents related to public health (the vast majority were for breaches of CHO directions) an increase of 457.0% or 26,175 incidents. This was followed by E21 Breach of family violence order up 22.1% or 2,960 to 16,356 incidents. Conversely, the number of B40 Theft alleged offender incidents declined 16.0% or 5,261 to 27,704 incidents. 

The victimisation rate decreased by 12.4% to 3,010.8 reports per 100,000 Victorians as did the count of person victim reports which were down 12.7% to 201,079, the largest year on year drop the CSA has reported.  

Family incidents increased 5.9% in the last 12 months to 93,440 incidents, as did the rate of family incidents, also up by 6.2% to 1,399.1 incidents per 100,000 Victorians. Half (50.8%) of the family incidents resulted in at least one criminal offence this proportion has remained stable over the last five years.  

CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley said that “the decreases in the key crime measures, Recorded offences, Criminal incidents and Victim reports, have coincided with COVID-19-related restrictions on movement. The volume decrease during this time has been observed largely in the acquisitive and more opportunistic crime types such as thefts. Conversely there have been increases in breaches of orders including family violence orders and Chief Health Officer directions. As a result, we continue to record higher numbers of Alleged offenders in the last 12 months.”

More detailed information is available on the latest crime data webpage.

For further information please contact:  
Crime Statistics Agency  
Email: info@crimestatistics.vic.gov.au (External link)

^ Please note that movements over time in recorded crime data may be impacted by changes in legislation and operational police practice.