NCJ Number
176527
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article reviews data on fraud trends in Australia and identifies ways to better understand the extent to which such crime occurs.
Abstract
Criminal fraud is a generic, non-statutory category of crime which includes a variety of offenses linked by the common element of the perpetrator seeking to obtain property belonging to another through deception. Analysts believe that fraud costs Australia considerably more than any other type of crime. It has serious consequences for all citizens, whether they are victims whose trust has been betrayed or consumers who pay for business losses through increased costs of goods and services. The article discusses several actions which would improve the quantification of monetary loss resulting from fraud: (1) increased funding to support wide-scale fraud victimization surveys; (2) funding to enable Australia to reestablish its participation in the International Crime Victimization Surveys and for fraud to be included as one of the categories examined; (3) comprehensive offender self-report surveys; and (4) ongoing monitoring of data collection, recording and reporting practices concerning fraud throughout Australia. Tables, references