NCJ Number
214779
Date Published
June 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examined the nature and relative risk of homicide for overseas tourists to Australia between 1994 and 2003.
Abstract
Results indicated that the rate of overseas tourists murdered in Australia during the study period were statistically quite low and overall there was no evidence that overseas visitors to Australia were specifically targeted for murder. From July 1994 to June 2003, there were 34 overseas visitors murdered in Australia during 20 separate incidents. Two separate incidents were responsible for 41 percent of the visitor murders. Most overseas victims were young males between the ages of 18 and 30 years. More than half of the murders occurred in a location other than the victim’s residence while in Australia. Strategies to address the issue of crimes against tourists are suggested and include the establishment of partnerships between local police and the tourism industry as well as public education campaigns to inform tourists of ways to reduce victimization risk. Data on homicide in Australia were drawn from the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) for 1994 through 2003 as well as from State and Territory homicide squads at major crime branches and from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs movement records database. Data were statistically analyzed. The international research literature on tourist murder is also reviewed and presented. Future research should examine the prevalence of less serious crime victimization among overseas visitors to Australia. Tables, references