Abstract
[Extract] Australia’s overall homicide rate continues to decline: it has reached a historic low, according to newly published data.
Australia’s homicide rate is declining
Through its National Homicide Monitoring Program, the Australian Institute of Criminology has outlined the trends in homicides for the financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14. In this period there were 487 homicide incidents involving 512 victims and 549 offenders.
The national homicide rate has decreased from 1.8 per 100,000 people in 1989-90 to 1 per 100,000 in 2013-14.
For Indigenous people, the homicide rate was much higher at 4.9 per 100,000 in 2013-14. The Northern Territory had the highest homicide rate in Australia, with 6.5 per 100,000 for 2013-14.
While there are differences in data collected by each country, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes International Homicide Statistics database allows Australia’s homicide rate to be compared to other countries (see the chart below).
Australia’s homicide rate is declining
Through its National Homicide Monitoring Program, the Australian Institute of Criminology has outlined the trends in homicides for the financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14. In this period there were 487 homicide incidents involving 512 victims and 549 offenders.
The national homicide rate has decreased from 1.8 per 100,000 people in 1989-90 to 1 per 100,000 in 2013-14.
For Indigenous people, the homicide rate was much higher at 4.9 per 100,000 in 2013-14. The Northern Territory had the highest homicide rate in Australia, with 6.5 per 100,000 for 2013-14.
While there are differences in data collected by each country, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes International Homicide Statistics database allows Australia’s homicide rate to be compared to other countries (see the chart below).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | The Conversation |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Jun 2017 |
