13 December 2004
Hundreds Less Property Offences in Palmerston
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Peter Toyne MLA
Minister for Justice
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The number of criminal offences in Palmerston has decreased in the prime areas of property crime and offences against the person.
Downward trends were recorded in assault, the total number of offences against the person and house break-ins.
There were 784 less recorded property offences in Palmerston in the year to September 2004 compared to the figure for the previous twelve months.
This represents a 24 percent reduction in property crime over the twelve month period.
Justice Minister Dr Peter Toyne said the latest figures sustain a consistent reduction in property crime since the statistics started more than 2 years ago.
“It’s a significant turnaround, we have 784 less offences over the past 12 months, that’s 784 less people who have had property damaged or stolen,” Dr Toyne said.
“Our targeted programs are working, police and the community are working to identify trouble spots and then fix them.
“The fall in assaults is also an encouraging sign, but we need to, and will build on our initiatives to combat sexual assaults,” Dr Toyne said.
Over the same period, the total number of offences against the person in Palmerston was down 18 percent or 66 less offences.
The figures are from the Quarterly Crime and Justice Statistics compiled by the Office of Crime Prevention. The statistics are derived from recorded crime figures in the Territory.
But while all other offences against the person were down, sexual assaults were still up in the year-to-year comparison by eight percent or three more offences.
Year to Year comparisons:
This data compares the total number of offences in the 12 months to September 04 to the total number of offences in the 12 months to September 03. Key findings include:
- robberies decreased 36% (4 less offences)
- assaults decreased 21 percent (65 less offences)
- house break-ins decreased 40% (232 less offences)
- commercial break-ins decreased 34% (61 less offences)
- property damage incidents decreased 25% (227 less offences)
- motor vehicle theft and related offences decreased 12% (26 less offences)
Quarter to Quarter comparisons:
Quarterly comparisons are the figures from the June 04 quarter (April/May/June) compared to the figures from the September 04 quarter (July/August/September). Key findings include:
- total number of offences against the person were down by 6% (4 less offences)
- assaults decreased 24% (13 less offences)
- sexual assaults up by 220% (11 more offences)
- total number of property offences were down 2% (12 less offences)
- house break-ins increased 22% (14 more offences)
- commercial break-ins increased 70% (14 more offences)
- property damage offences decreased 9% (18 less offences)
Trends:
Trends are detected when there is a statistically significant upward or downward movement in recorded crime levels in the last 12 months’ data. Downward trends were recorded in the assault and house break-ins categories as well as in the total number of offences against the person. Trends were not identified for other offences in Palmerston.
September Quarter 2004 Crime and Justice Statistics and Regional Fact Sheets are available online at www.crimeprevention.nt.gov.au
NOTE:
- The above statistics are a measure of recorded crime across the Territory.
- The data is collected from the Police Real-time On-line Management Information System.
- Nationally it is recognised that there are varying levels of un-reported crime in our community but that recorded crime is the best available measure of changes in the level of crime in a community.
- Statistics in the Territory can be highly volatile, with large swings from one period or another. This is particularly the case for regional centres where small populations and changes in operational or administrative procedures may heavily influence statistics.