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Division

01 Homicide

Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC)
Reference period
2023

Description

Homicide, for this statistical classification, covers unlawfully killing, attempting to kill, or conspiracy to kill another person. Legal definitions of homicide may exclude attempted and unintentional acts.

Subdivision

011 Murder

0110 Murder

Murder is defined as unlawfully killing another person where there is one or more of the following: intent to kill, occurring in the course of committing a crime (whether there was intent to kill or not), or intent to cause grievous bodily harm with reckless indifference to life.

Inclusions:

  • Aid and abet murder
  • Conspiracy to murder which results in death
  • Extrajudicial murder including unlawful killing during armed conflict
  • Felony or constructive murder
  • Intent to kill resulting in death
  • Intentionally kill a person using a car or other vehicle
  • Murder by drugging or poisoning
  • Terrorist attack causing human death
  • Unlawfully kill a person under care

Exclusions:

  • Assist suicide – coded to 0131 Manslaughter 
  • Breach euthanasia legislation not amounting to murder, attempted murder, or assault – coded to 1299 Public order, health, and safety offences, nec
  • Cause death through recklessness – coded to 0131 Manslaughter 
  • Conspiracy to murder that does not result in death – coded to 0120 Attempted murder
Subdivision

012 Attempted murder

0120 Attempted murder

Attempted murder is defined as the attempted unlawful killing of another person, where there is either the intent to kill or intent to cause grievous bodily harm with the knowledge that it was probable that death or grievous bodily harm would occur.

Inclusions:

  • Attempted murder
  • Cause wounding or grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder
  • Conspiracy to murder that does not result in death
  • Solicit, encourage, or persuade to murder, not resulting in death

Exclusions:

  • Conspiracy to murder resulting in death – coded to 0110 Murder
Subdivision

013 Manslaughter or driving causing death

Description

These offences involve the unlawful killing of another person while deprived of the power of self-control by provocation, or under circumstances amounting to diminished responsibility, or without intent to kill. Death may occur from a careless, reckless, negligent, unlawful or dangerous act, including while driving. Where driving causing death can’t be disaggregated from manslaughter, code to 0130.

0131 Manslaughter

Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of another person while deprived of the power of self-control by provocation, or under circumstances amounting to diminished responsibility or without intent to kill. This may be as the result of a careless, reckless, negligent, unlawful, or dangerous act.

Inclusions:

  • Assault causing death without intent to kill
  • Assist in, or incite, suicide of another person
  • Cause death through recklessness
  • Coerce a person into assisted dying
  • Death caused by an act or omission during surgical or medical treatment 
  • Fail to take precaution to prevent death
  • Industrial or corporate manslaughter 
  • Kill by use of excessive force in self-defence
  • Neglect or ill-treatment leading to death
  • Other manslaughter as defined by legislation within the jurisdiction where the offence occurred 

Exclusions:

  • Breach euthanasia legislation not amounting to murder, attempted murder, or assault – coded to 1299 Public order, health, and safety offences, nec
  • Procure or commit illegal abortion – coded to 1299 Public order, health, and safety offences, nec
  • Unlawfully kill a person under care – coded to 0110 Murder

0132 Driving causing death

Driving causing death relates to culpable, reckless, negligent, or dangerous driving which results in the death of another person without intent to kill. 

Inclusions:

  • Culpable or dangerous driving resulting in death
  • Death caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs 
  • Driving a car, boat, motorbike, truck, or other vehicle causing death

Exclusions

  • Intentionally kill a person using a car or other vehicle – coded to 0110 Murder