According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria, Victoria crime rate for the year ending June 2022 was 7122 incidents per 100,000 population. This represents a 10% decrease from the previous year.
Victoria State Safety Rank
5
(1 is safest)
Victoria holds the 5th rank in safety metrics among all Australia states
Victoria Crime Map
Victoria Crime Statistics at a Glance
Has Crime in Victoria 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 Victoria.
- The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year 2022 was 46,9506, down 10% from 521645 incidents recorded in the same period last year.
- When considering our safety metrics across all Australian states, Victoria has been found to rank fifth. This indicates that there are four other states in Australia that have better safety metrics than Victoria. However, it also suggests that Victoria has a relatively good level of safety compared to other states in the country.
- Based on the most recent data available from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA), it appears that breach family violence order is the most common type of crime in Victoria.
- The suburb of Hmas Cerberus has been consistently ranked as the safest suburb in Victoria in terms of crime rates.
- Top areas to avoid in Victoria (bad areas): Geelong suburb.
- The number of criminal incidents of assault decreased by 2% (859 Incidents) from 2021 to 2022.
- The number of deception offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 23% (8364 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
- The number of burglary offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 4% (1365 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
- The number of theft offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 4% (5927 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
- The number of robbery offences recorded in 2022 decreased by 7% (177 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
- The number of motor vehicle thefts (car theft) recorded in 2022 decreased by 5% (737 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
- The number of vandalism offences (property damage) recorded in 2022 decreased by 0.4% (135 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
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Crime in Victoria: An In-Depth Analysis
In the year 2021-2022, there were 74,825 people who were charged by the police, which is a 5% decrease from the previous year. This means that there were 1,297 offenders for every 100,000 people, which is lower than the rate in the previous year.
The most common types of crimes in Victoria were miscellaneous offences and acts intended to cause injury. There were 17,458 offenders for miscellaneous offences and 17,020 offenders for acts intended to cause injury.
Even though there was an 11% decrease in miscellaneous offences compared to the previous year, they were still the most common. Most of these offences were related to COVID-19 violations and resulted in fines being issued. The decline in the number of miscellaneous offences was the main reason behind the 5% reduction in the total number of offenders in Victoria during 2021-22.
In the state of Victoria, the majority of offenders (78%) were males, adding up to a total of 58,053 individuals. This number surpasses the number of female offenders by more than three times! The male offender rate was recorded to be 2,046 per 100,000 males, which is significantly higher than the female offender rate of only 572 per 100,000 females.
In the year 2021-22, the number of youth offenders between the ages of 10 and 17 in Victoria increased by 8% from the previous year. They accounted for 9% of all offenders proceeded against by the police. Surprisingly, the youth offender rate also increased from 1,055 to 1,127 per 100,000 persons in the same age group.
Shockingly, more than a quarter (27%) of the youth offenders were charged with acts intended to cause injury, which is an increase of 12% from the previous year. This means that 1,909 youth offenders were proceeded against for this particular offence.
Moving on, in 2021-22, there were 110,920 police proceedings in Victoria, which was a 15% decrease from the previous year. The decrease was due to a decline in miscellaneous offences (down 40%), illicit drug offences (down 18%), and theft (down 8%). The decrease in miscellaneous offences was mainly attributed to a decrease in fines for COVID-19 violations.
Out of all police proceedings, the majority (66%) were court actions, which accounted for 72,661 proceedings. Additionally, over a quarter (27%) of court actions were for acts intended to cause injury, making up 19,842 proceedings.
Lastly, more than half (51%) of all non-court actions were miscellaneous offences, which totaled 19,374 proceedings. This was mainly because of the fines that were issued for COVID-19 related offences.
Want to understand criminal offences in Victoria and make sense of crime data? Our easy-to-understand crime glossary provides definitions for Victoria’s common criminal offences. Check it out and get the inside scoop on crime in Victoria!
Victoria Crime Rate by Offences Division
| Division | Number of Crimes | Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Crimes against the person | 82215 | 1247 |
| Property and deception offences | 236043 | 3580 |
| Drug offences | 30012 | 455 |
| Public order and security offences | 28408 | 431 |
| Justice procedures offences | 81724 | 1240 |
| Other offences | 11104 | 168 |
| Total | 469506 | 7122 |
Victoria Crimes Against the Person
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:
- 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.
- Dangerous and negligent acts endangering people: These refer to behaviours or actions that put others at risk of harm or injury due to carelessness or recklessness. Examples of dangerous and negligent acts include driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not properly securing a load on a vehicle that could fall and cause an accident, leaving hazardous materials unattended, and failing to maintain a property in a safe condition.
- Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour: This represents harassing or threatening someone based on their race, skin colour, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, in what’s known as hate crimes. It also includes insulting someone, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.
My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person
1 in 78
In Victoria
1 in 73
In Australia
Crimes Against The Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)
Breakdown of Crimes Against the Person in Victoria
Victoria population: 6503491
| Crimes | Victoria Total Criminal Incidents | Victoria Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Assault and related offences | 45391 | 689 |
| Robbery | 2350 | 36 |
| Dangerous and negligent acts endangering people | 6293 | 96 |
| Stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour | 13324 | 202 |
| Homicide and related offences | 182 | 3 |
| Sexual offences | 13576 | 206 |
Victoria Property and Deception Offences
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.
- Burglary (unlawful entry): 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.
- Arson: Arson is a criminal act of intentionally setting fire to a property, building, or forest (bushfire) without lawful or justifiable reason.
- Property damage: This refers to intentional or accidental harm caused to someone else’s property, such as vandalism, or graffiti.
- Deception: This is a broad category of offences that includes various examples. These include forgery and counterfeiting, deceptive business practices, professional malpractice and misrepresentation, and other similar offences. Additionally, it includes obtaining benefits by deception, possessing equipment to make a false instrument, and stating false information. All of these crimes involve intentionally deceiving others for personal gain or causing harm to others through fraudulent means.
- Bribery: Sneaky shortcut to get ahead by taking advantage of someone’s position or power.
My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Property and Deception Offences
1 in 27
In Victoria
1 in 25
In Australia
Property and Deception Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)
Breakdown of Property and Deception Offences in Victoria
Victoria population: 6503491
| Crimes | Victoria Total Criminal Incidents | Victoria Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Property damage | 38352 | 582 |
| Burglary/Break and enter | 29621 | 449 |
| Theft | 138668 | 2103 |
| Arson | 2124 | 32 |
| Deception | 27275 | 414 |
| Bribery | 3 | 0.05 |
Here is a breakdown of Victoria crime rate and offences count for the major Property and deception offences.
| Division | Number of Crimes | Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle theft | 14670 | 226 |
| Steal from motor vehicle | 46670 | 718 |
| Steal from retail store | 17531 | 270 |
| Aggravated burglary | 4082 | 63 |
| Non-aggravated burglary | 25539 | 393 |
Drug Offences
Drug offences are illegal activities involving drugs like possession, trafficking, and manufacturing. It can involve both illicit and legal drugs like prescription medicines used improperly.
Details of Drug Offences in Victoria
| Crimes | Victoria Total Criminal Incidents | Victoria Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Drug use and possession | 24069 | 365 |
| Drug dealing and trafficking | 3734 | 57 |
| Cultivate or manufacture drugs | 1716 | 26 |
| Other drug offences | 493 | 8 |
Public Order and Security Offences
Public order and security offences refer to crimes that threaten the safety and security of the community, such as disorderly conduct, possession of illegal weapons, public intoxication, and disturbing the peace. These offences can also include crimes that disrupt the functioning of society, like rioting, protesting without a permit, and obstructing traffic.
Breakdown of Public Order and Security Offences in Victoria
| Crimes | Victoria Total Criminal Incidents | Victoria Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
|---|---|---|
| Public nuisance offences | 3918 | 59 |
| Disorderly and offensive conduct | 9174 | 139 |
| Public security offences | 375 | 6 |
| Weapons and explosives offences | 14941 | 227 |
Victoria Crimes per Square KM
What’s the most common crime in Victoria?
According to the latest available data from the Crime Statistics Agency of Victoria (CSA), the most common type of crime in Victoria is breach family violence order.
What is the crime rate in Victoria?
The overall crime rate in Victoria, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 7121 offences per 100,000 population in the year ending June 2022.
However, it’s important to note that this is an aggregate figure that includes all types of crime, and some types of offences are more prevalent than others. Additionally, crime rates can vary by location, with some areas experiencing higher rates of certain types of crime than others.
Is Victoria a safe place to live in?
Victoria ranks fifth in overall safety among Australian states. According to (CSA), Victoria total crime rate in 2022 was 7121. So, Victoria is considered a safe and welcoming place to live and visit.
What suburb has the highest crime rate in Victoria?
Geelong is the suburb with the highest rate of reported criminal incidents in Victoria with a rate of 52084 incidents per 100,000 population, according to CSA 2022 data. Geelong is safer than only 19% of Victoria suburbs.
What is the safest suburb in Victoria?
Hmas Cerberus is the safest suburb in Victoria with a rate of 535 incidents per 100,000 population as per the CSA report. Hmas Cerberus is safer than 83% of Victoria suburbs.
However, it’s important to note that low crime rates do not necessarily guarantee safety, and that crime can occur anywhere. Hence, it’s essential always to stay vigilant and take appropriate safety measures.
References
- Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) Victoria
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census QuickStats for all persons
- Victoria Police
Popular Suburbs in Victoria
Popular Urban Areas in Victoria
Greater Capital City Statistical Area