4509.1 - Crime and Safety, New South Wales, Apr 2008 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/12/2008   
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  • NSW residents believe their neighbourhoods are safer: ABS (Media Release)
MEDIA RELEASE
December 4, 2008
Embargoed: 11.30 am (AEDT)
116/2008

NSW residents believe their neighbourhoods are safer: ABS

In 2008, more than half (55%) of people in NSW did not think there were crime or public nuisance problems in their neighbourhood according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This figure has risen from 47% to 55% between 1999 and 2008.

In 2008, 4.2% of persons aged 15 years and over were victims of personal crime. Personal crime rates have remained between 4.2% and 5.1% since 1999.

7.0% of NSW households experienced household crime. The household crime rate has remained at around 7% since 2004, after falling from around 10% from 1999 to 2003.

The 2008 assault rate (3.6%) has decreased from 2007 (4.4%) but is consistent with the rates recorded in 2006 (3.5%) and 2004 (3.8%)

Other results include:
  • 38,700 people (0.7% of people aged 15 years and over) were victims of robbery;
  • 17,500 females aged 18 years and over (0.7%) were sexually assaulted;
  • 104,000 households (3.8%) were victims of break and enter and 90,900 (3.4%) were victims of attempted break and enter;
  • 18,800 households (0.7%) experienced the theft of a motor vehicle.

The publication Crime and Safety, New South Wales 2008 reports on selected types of household and personal crime, using information collected from people about their experiences of crime in the 12 months prior to the April survey.

Further information is available in Crime and Safety, New South Wales 2008 (cat. no. 4509.1).