Domestic violence is at an all-time high in Victoria and youth crime has hit a 15-year peak, as the latest data shows criminal incidents are at the highest level since statistics started being recorded in 2004.
In the past year, there were 578,762 individual crimes recorded, up 13.4 per cent on the previous year, and more than 431,683 criminal incidents (a single incident that can include multiple criminal offences), the most recorded in the Crime Statistics Agency’s 20 years of data.
Criminal incidents have hit its highest level ever recorded by the Crime Statistics Agency. Credit: Paul Rovere
However, criminal incidents have previously been higher per capita, including in 2020, 2019 and 2016.
Theft increased the most over the past year, with nearly 14,000 more incidents of car theft recorded this year compared with 2023, and nearly 10,000 more incidents of retail store theft.
Victoria Police attributed the spike in theft to rising cost-of-living pressures this year.
Crimes committed by children have also hit a 15-year-high, with 23,810 recorded incidents in the past year – an increase of 16.9 per cent year-on-year. Victoria Police said children only make up 10 per cent of total offenders, but comprise a quarter of aggravated burglary and half of all robbery offenders.
Just 7310 children were behind the 23,810 crimes. The number of children committing crimes dropped by 1.6 per cent on last year.
One-third of child offenders are repeat offenders and are involved in at least two criminal incidents.
