TRENDS IN VIOLENT CRIME AND PUBLIC CONCERN

• NCJ Number: 64240
• Journal: Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 192-208
• Author(s): J KRAUS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Acad of Forensic Sciences
• Sale Source: Butterworth Pty Ltd
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: READ AT THE 2ND AUSTRALASIAN PACIFIC FORENSIC SCIENCES CONGRESS IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, JULY 1978 PRICE QUOTED IS IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS PRICE QUOTED IS FOR ENTIRE ISSUE

Annotation

FINDINGS FROM A STUDY DESIGNED TO ASCERTAIN THE EXISTENCE OF AN OBJECTIVE BASIS FOR PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME INCREASES IN AUSTRALIA AND IDENTIFY TARGETS FOR SOCIAL INTERVENTION ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

RELEVANT DATA ON ADULT AND JUVENILE CONVICTIONS WERE OBTAINED FROM STATISTICS OF HIGHER CRIMINAL COURTS, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, ANNUAL REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, AND THE SECURITY OFFICE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ALL CRIMES RATES WERE CALCULATED PER 100,000; THE USUAL BASIS OF SUCH RATES, HOWEVER, WAS CHANGED FROM 'GENERAL POPULATION' TO AFFECTED POPULATION IN ORDER TO MAKE THE RATES RELEVANT TO THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION. THE LENGTHS OF THE TIME SERIES WHICH COULD BE ANALYZED WERE DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF YEARS FOR WHICH THE STATISTICS WERE COMPARABLE AND AVAILABLE. LENGTHS VARY FROM 7 TO 10 YEARS, THROUGH 1976. ANALYSIS OF THE DECADE'S TRENDS IN VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND PROPERTY SHOWED THAT, AMONG ADULTS, MORE MALES COMMIT MURDER AND MAJOR ASSAULT. AMONG JUVENILES, MORE MALES COMMIT ASSAULT, SERIOUS ROBBERY, AND MALICIOUS DAMAGE. ROBBERY AND ARSON ARE THE OFFENSES MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THERE IS NO INCREASE IN REPORTED RAPES AND KNOWN HOMICIDES OR IN SCHOOL VANDALISM. IT IS GENERALLY CONCLUDED THAT INCREASING VIOLENT CRIME RATES DO JUSTIFY THE PUBLIC CONCERN. THE MOST SERIOUS CONCERN IS WARRANTED BY THE INCREASING JUVENILE VIOLENCE WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH TRENDS OBSERVED IN MOST WESTERN COUNTRIES. TRANSLATING THIS CONCERN INTO SOCIAL ACTION, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY COHERENT THEORETICAL OR EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY TARGETS, IS DIFFICULT. A MULTIFACTORIAL APPROACH TO PROVIDE A RATIONAL BASIS FOR DEALING WITH PROBLEM OF VIOLENT CRIME IS SUGGESTED. REFERENCES AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM).