NCJ Number
217620
Date Published
August 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper describes trends in the recorded incidence of firearm offenses in New South Wales (NSW) between 1995 and 2005.
Abstract
In 2005, police recorded 933 criminal incidents involving a firearm and 388 of these were committed with a handgun. Most criminal incidents involving a firearm were classified as an assault or a robbery. When firearm incidents were considered as a proportion of all incidents recorded, firearms were rarely used. The analysis suggests that robberies and assaults are more likely to involve a knife, with over three times as many robberies and over nine times as many assaults involving a knife. A higher portion of murders and attempted murders are committed with a firearm, with 20 percent and 46 percent of these incident types involving firearms. Homicide offenses are rare. The analysis also showed that the number of recorded firearm offenses has been declining in New South Wales (NSW) in recent years. Over the 11-year period examined, the number of people killed with a firearm decreased by 45 percent and the number of robberies with a firearm decreased by 33 percent. Extensive attention given to shooting incidents gives the impression that crimes involving firearms are frequent occurrences. Using data from the NSW Police’s Computerized Operational Policing System (COPS), this report provides statistical evidence bearing on the extent to which firearms are used in the commission of offenses and the extent to which the incidence of firearm offenses have varied over the last 11 years. It examined the incidence of firearm-related robbery and the use of firearms as a weapon, as well as the use of firearms in homicides. Figures, notes, reference