NCJ Number
198738
Date Published
December 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses the extent of the over representation of Aboriginal people as victims of crime and also as offenders in New South Wales, Australia, and discusses the implications of this data.
Abstract
It is noted that the data in this report was taken from police data and are considered to be very conservative because Aboriginal people are less likely to report crime offending and victimization. Tables, supplemented with description and discussion, provide statistical information on the number and victimization rate of Aboriginal victims and all NSW victims for selected offenses in 2000, the number and victimization rate of female Aboriginal victims and all female NSW victims for selected offenses in 2000, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status of the associated offender for selected offenses in 2000, and number and offending rate of Aboriginal alleged offenders and all NSW alleged offenders for selected offenses in 2000. In conclusion, it is noted that Aboriginal victimization in violent crime is predominantly the result of offending by other Aboriginal people. Also, Aboriginal people are over-represented among persons arrested by police in relation to property theft, motor vehicle theft, and break and enter crimes. It is theorized that these statistics concerning Aboriginal people are not due to differential reporting and detection by police but that Aboriginals are at much greater risk of offending and of falling victim to crime. The main challenge, as identified by these authors, is to develop policy that aids Aboriginal women and children without further increasing their contact with the criminal justice system.