The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has released a report on how crime trends have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, finding all category trends had fallen sharply except domestic violence and certain drug offences.
The Bureau said it examined changes in crime over a six-week period from mid-March, when social distancing measures commenced in NSW.
“New research shows that crime fell sharply in April 2020 coinciding with strict social isolation strategies introduced to control the COVID-19 pandemic,” BOCSAR said.
“For key offences we compared the level of crime recorded by police in this 6-week period with the expected level based on data from previous years,” it said.
“Some crimes remained stable including Domestic Violence assault and certain drug offences.”
BOCSAR said its study found large decreases in many crime categories including robbery down 42 per cent; non-domestic assault down 39 per cent; sexual offences down 32 per cent; break and enter-dwelling and non-dwelling down 29 per cent and 25 per cent respectively; steal from motor vehicle down 34 per cent; car theft down 24 per cent; and shop lifting down 55 per cent.
Executive Director of BOCSAR, Jackie Fitzgerald said that in many ways it was not surprising that the huge social upheaval caused by the lockdown also interrupted criminal activity.
“It also seems likely that, as restrictions are relaxed and NSW residents resume regular activities, crime rates will return to normal levels,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
The 15-page BOCSAR report can be accessed at this PS News link.
