The Australian Institute of Criminology has recently released the results of the 2001-2002 National Farm Crime Survey, the second annual survey on farm crime. This research was funded by the National Crime Prevention Program, Attorney General's Department. A total of 1309 broadacre and dairy farms were surveyed about their experiences of crime between 1 July 2001 and 30 June 2002. Overall, 13 per cent of these farms experienced crime, a slight decrease from the comparable number that experienced farm crime in the first survey. In financial terms, farm crime was estimated to cost broadacre and dairy farmers $72 million in 2001-2002. The most common crimes experienced by dairy and broadacre farms were livestock theft (experienced by 6 per cent of farms) followed by other theft (5 per cent) and vandalism (3 per cent). The most common items stolen on farms were sheep (33 per cent), followed by small tools and spare parts (17 per cent) and fuel (17 per cent).
Particular items stolen on farms [see attached PDF for pie chart]
Source
- McCall, M. 2003, "Results from the 2001-2002 National Farm Crime Survey", Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 266, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra.