National News
Victoria’s crime rate continuously falls
Youth crime has dropped in Victoria as the state’s record crime rate continues to fall, new figures show.
The latest crime data, released today, reveals that in the past year to June, the state’s crime rate dropped by 3.8 per cent. Police say organised crime, repeat offenders, mental health and drugs are the main drivers of crime, with trafficking and dealing drugs such as cocaine, meth, ecstasy and prescription drugs spiking by 18.5 per cent.
While police say crime in Victoria remains “unacceptably high” at more than 13 per cent higher than three years ago, several major crimes decreased. Crime Statistics Agency Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley told 774 ABC Melbourne that a 20 per cent drop in burglaries and break-ins was “really significant”, but that the cause of the fall was difficult to determine.
Regional Operations Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said the drop in the state’s crime rate was promising, but more work still needed to be done to make Victorians feel safe.