NCJ Number
217704
Date Published
September 2006
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report provides information on the nature of malicious damage to property incidents in New South Wales through a detailed analysis of police database records and narratives of incidents occurring in 2005.
Abstract
Malicious damage to property is a very common offense in New South Wales (NSW). In 2005, 102,816 incidents of malicious damage were reported. This represented an increase of 8 percent from the previous year (2004). Analysis of police database records and narratives revealed that the most frequent targets of malicious damage were private dwellings, private vehicles, and commercial buildings. The most common features damaged at these locations were windows. One in 10 malicious damage incidents involved graffiti and in these cases schools and commercial buildings were often the target. The median cost of malicious damage incidents was $300. The offense of malicious damage to property is one of considerable public concern. NSW recorded crime statistics place malicious damage as the second most frequently reported category of criminal offense after traffic violations. Data from the NSW Police’s Computerized Operational Policing System (COPS) were used to examine malicious damage to property incidents reported to police in 2005. This report presents the results from that examination. Figures, notes, references and appendix