Queensland (QLD.) State Crime Rate: Is it safe?

According to Queensland Police Service (QPS), Queensland crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 8714 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 10% decrease from the previous year.

Queensland Crime Map

Queensland Crime Statistics at a Glance

Has Crime in Queensland increased or decreased in the past 5 years? The chart below shows the 60-month historical trend of the number of offences that occurred in Queensland.

• The number of criminal incidents recorded in the year 2022 was 449312, up 10% from 409152 incidents recorded in the same period last year.

• When considering our safety metrics across all Australian states, Queensland has been found to rank fourth. This indicates that there are three other states in Australia that have better safety metrics than Queensland. However, it also suggests that Queensland has a relatively good level of safety compared to other states in the country.

• Based on the most recent data available from Queensland Police Service (QPS)), it appears that drug offences is the most common type of crime in Queensland.

• The suburb of Murray has been consistently ranked as the safest suburb in Queensland in terms of crime rates.

• Top areas to avoid in Queensland (bad areas): Toowoomba City.

• Street safety to walk at night: Moderate safety.

• The number of criminal incidents of assault increased by 28% (10300 Incidents) from 2021 to 2022.

• The number of murder offences increased by 7% (3 Incidents) from 2021 to 2022.

• The number of unlawful entry offences recorded in 2022 increased by 21% (8109 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of theft offences (excl. Unlawful Entry) recorded in 2022 increased by 13% (14175 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 increased by 12% ( 258 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of unlawful use of motor vehicle offences (car theft) recorded in 2022 increased by 19% (2925 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

• The number of vandalism offences (other property damage) recorded in 2022 increased by 9% (3089 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

Crime in Queensland: An In-Depth Analysis

In 2021-22, the police brought proceedings against 81,469 offenders, which is 4% less than the previous year. This shows a positive trend toward reducing crime rates. The offender rate also decreased from 1,857 offenders per 100,000 persons in 2020-21 to 1,762 offenders per 100,000 persons in 2021-22. This suggests that efforts to prevent crime are being successful.

The most common principal offence in the year 2021-22, was illicit drug offences, with 21% or 17,036 offenders being charged with such offences, despite a decrease of 18% from the previous year. Though it is a positive sign that the number of such offences has decreased, it is still a matter of concern that a significant portion of offences are related to drug abuse.

In the same year, miscellaneous offences saw a rise of 67%, with 563 more offenders being charged, bringing the total number to 1,404. This was mainly due to the enforcement of fines for COVID-19-related offences. 

Gender disparity in crime is a persistent problem in Queensland, with a vast majority (74%) of offenders being male (60,090 offenders). The male offender rate is almost three times that of female offenders. The male offender rate is 2,635 per 100,000 males, while the female offender rate is 912 per 100,000 females. This gender gap suggests that males are more likely to commit offences than females, and highlights the need to address social and cultural factors that contribute to this trend.

In the year 2021-22, 10,304 offenders aged between 10 and 17 years (youth offenders) were proceeded against in Queensland, which comprises 13% of the total offenders. Despite remaining stable from the previous year, the youth offender rate decreased from 1,910 to 1,863 per 100,000 persons aged between 10 and 17 years, after adjusting for the population change.

Acts intended to cause injury were the most common principal offence for persons aged between 10 and 17 years. A higher proportion of youth offenders were proceeded against for this offence compared with the total offender population. Of the total youth offenders, 22% (2,221 offenders) were proceeded against for acts intended to cause injury, whereas it was 16% (12,885 offenders) for the total offender population.

There has been a positive trend in the number of youth offenders proceeded against for illicit drug offences, with a decrease from 1,736 offenders in the previous year to 1,465 offenders aged between 10 and 17 years. This is the lowest number since 2008-09, and marks the seventh consecutive annual decrease. This highlights the effectiveness of drug prevention programs in reducing the number of young offenders involved in drug-related crimes.

In the year 2021-22, there were 17,142 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders in Queensland, which is a decrease of 2% (or 422 offenders) from the previous year. The offender rate for this group also decreased from 9,299 in 2020-21 to 8,851 offenders per 100,000 persons in 2021-22. While it is a positive sign that the number of offenders has decreased, it is still a matter of concern.

It is also noteworthy that acts intended to cause injury were the most common principal offence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders, with 27% (4,569 offenders) being proceeded against for this offence. This highlights the need for effective measures to address the underlying causes of such behaviour and to support the Indigenous communities in Queensland. 

We need to work towards building stronger relationships with the Indigenous communities and promoting reconciliation, to create a safer and more inclusive society for all.

In the year 2021-22, there were 143,276 police proceedings in Queensland, which is a 4% decrease from the previous year. Of these, 79% were court actions, which accounts for 112,508 proceedings.

Illicit drug offences and offences against justice were the most common principal offences for court proceedings, accounting for 20% of court proceedings each. Meanwhile, public order offences accounted for 32% of non-court actions, which is about 9,705 proceedings.

It is also noteworthy that the total police proceedings for illicit drug offences decreased by 20% to 28,612 proceedings. This is similar to the change in the previous year, which decreased by 18% in 2020-21.

It is important to recognize the role of police in maintaining law and order in the community. The decrease in the number of police proceedings for illicit drug offences is an encouraging sign, but it is crucial that we continue to focus on preventing drug-related crimes, as well as other forms of criminal activity, to ensure the safety and well-being of our society.

Queensland Crime Rate by Offences Division

Queensland Crimes Against the Person (Violent Crimes)

These are violent crimes against people whether these are family violence or non-family violence. Basically, if someone does something to hurt or scare another person, it’s considered a crime against the person. This includes:

• Other Homicide:  Other homicides are crimes that include attempted murder, murder conspiracy, and manslaughter. Attempted murder is when someone tries to kill another person but is unsuccessful. Murder conspiracy is when two or more people plan to kill someone. Manslaughter is when someone unintentionally causes the death of another person.
• Assault and related offences: There are different types of assault, like serious assault, which is when someone causes really serious injuries as a result of a physical attack, and assault on police, emergency services or other authorised officers, which is when someone attacks a cop or a paramedic or someone doing their job. There’s also common assault, which is like when someone threatens to punch you or makes you feel scared for your safety.
• Robbery: There are two types of robbery or mugging: aggravated and non-aggravated. Aggravated robbery is when someone uses a weapon like a knife or a firearm (armed robbery) or causes serious harm to the victim during the robbery, like hitting them with a bat or a gun. Non-aggravated robbery is when someone doesn’t use a weapon or cause serious harm during the robbery but still uses force or the threat of force to take something from the victim.
• Other offences against the person: These include going armed to cause fear, threatening violence, deprivation of liberty, stalking, and torture. Going Armed to Cause Fear is when someone carries a weapon with the intention of making others scared. Threatening Violence is when someone uses words or actions to scare or intimidate someone else. Deprivation of Liberty is when someone is held against their will, and Stalking is when someone repeatedly follows or harasses another person. Finally, Torture is when someone intentionally hurts someone else very badly, usually to make them suffer or to get information.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person

Crimes Against the Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Breakdown of Crimes Against the Person in Queensland

Queensland Offences Against Property

These are crimes related to stealing or damaging property or deceiving someone for personal gain. Property crimes include:

• Theft: It can be committed in various forms such as shoplifting, stealing from a person’s home, or taking a vehicle without permission. Other examples include stealing a bicycle, snatching a purse, or taking items from an unattended bag.
• Unlawful entry (burglary): Aggravated and non-aggravated burglaries are examples of burglary. Aggravated burglary involves the use of weapons, threats, or violence during the break-in, while non-aggravated burglary does not involve such factors.
• Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle: Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle is when someone uses/steals a car, a bicycle, or other vehicle without the owner’s permission or without legal authority. 
• Arson: Arson is a criminal act of intentionally setting fire to a property, building, or forest (bushfire) without lawful or justifiable reason. 
• Handling Stolen Goods: Handling Stolen Goods is a criminal offence that involves dealing with property that has been stolen. For instance, if someone buys a bike from a person they know stole it, they are committing the crime of Handling Stolen Goods. Similarly, if someone sells a stolen phone to someone else, they are also committing the crime. Even if someone receives a stolen item as a gift or in good faith, they can still be charged with the offence if they knew or ought to have known that the property was stolen.
• Fraud: Fraud is a type of criminal activity that involves deceiving or misleading someone for personal gain. Examples of fraud include things like pretending to be someone else to access their bank account, selling fake products or services, or making false insurance claims.
• Property damage: This refers to intentional or accidental harm caused to someone else’s property, such as vandalism, or graffiti.

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Offences Against Property

Offences Against Property Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Breakdown of Offences Against Property in Queensland

Other Offences

Other Offences is a group of crimes that covers many areas, including drugs, prostitution, gambling, and traffic. This includes drug crimes, prostitution, selling alcohol without permission, gambling and racing offences, breaking domestic violence protection orders, trespassing and vagrancy, weapon crimes, disorderly conduct, stock-related crimes, traffic violations, and other miscellaneous crimes.

Other Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Details of Other Offences in Queensland

Here is a breakdown of some of the other offences that we mentioned before.

Queensland Crimes per Square KM

Note: This article doesn’t have detailed data for family violence, victims, female offenders, reoffending, stalking, and youth crime. For more information about these topics, check our resources page.

References

• Queensland Government Statistician’s Office
• Queensland Police Service (QPS)