General News
22 December, 2022
Data shows small increase, overall decline in crime
Breaches of family violence orders topped the list as Central Goldfields Shire reported an increase in offences recorded over the past 12 months — but a sustained decrease in the overall crime rate remains encouraging. The Crime Statistics Agency...
Breaches of family violence orders topped the list as Central Goldfields Shire reported an increase in offences recorded over the past 12 months — but a sustained decrease in the overall crime rate remains encouraging.
The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) recently released its report for the October 2021 to September 2022 period for all of Victoria with the shire showing a 3.3 percent rise in total offences — jumping from 1095 last year to 1131 this year.
Maryborough, Dunolly and Talbot all reported a hike in offences with Carisbrook the only major town showing a decrease in numbers, going down from 71 to 66 offences for the current year.
While offences in Maryborough increased from last year to 834 — reports show that the offences recorded over the past couple of years continue to remain lower than the offences recorded a decade ago, with 842 in 2013.
Increases were also noted in cases of family violence order breaches which went up to 176 compared to 109 previously. Sexual offences and theft also climbed to 66 and 57 respectively.
However, the shire also saw a decline in offences concerning family violence common assault which fell to 50 from 65, while drug related offences also dropped to 50 with a previous total of 84 this time last year — with drug possession reducing by almost half, down to 35 from 68.
Criminal incidents — defined as a criminal event which can include multiple offences — also decreased by 0.1 percent, down from 782 in 2021 to 781 in 2022. The report also indicates that incidents have continued to shrink since 2018 when the shire recorded 1001 incidents.
Neighbouring shires also reported varying numbers with Pyrenees (down 8.9 percent), Loddon (down 16.2 percent), and Mount Alexander (down 9.8 percent) showing a decline in criminal incidents compared to last year. In the Hepburn Shire, however, incidents went up by 13.4 percent — with Clunes recording an increase from 45 to 58 incidents this year.
Increases in breaches of family violence orders were seen across all the local shires except in Loddon where there was a substantial decrease, plummeting to 60 from a previous record of 101.
