4500.0 - Crime and Justice News, Apr 2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/06/2000   
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NATIONAL CRIME AND SAFETY SURVEY

Preparations are being made for the next national Crime and Safety Survey. User input has been sought in writing and from a meeting held at the ABS on 1 March 2000. Core data items will be the same as in the 1998 survey and new items are being developed in consultation with users.


In 1993 and 1998 the survey was conducted as a supplementary survey to the April Monthly Population Survey (MPS). The ABS proposed to change the collection methodology to one where data would be collected over a 12 month period starting July 2001. This would have allowed more sensitive questions to be asked without compromising response to the Labour Force Survey, the main component of the MPS.

The recent consultation with users, however, revealed that it was more important to them to have data comparable to that collected in the past. The NCCJS is therefore seeking approval to have the survey placed in the April 2002 timeslot. Further information on this issue will be sent to interested users once a decision is known.

The 1998 national Crime and Safety Survey showed:

  • The most commonly perceived problem with crime or public nuisance issues in local neighbourhoods was the category 'housebreaking/burglaries/theft from homes'.
  • Assault victims experienced an average of 2.5 incidents in the 12 month period, with those assaulted 4 or more times accounting for 50% of all assault incidents.
  • 23% of robbery victims knew their attacker compared with 67% of assault victims.