Homicide in Australia: 2008–09 to 2009–10 National Homicide Monitoring Program annual report

Abstract

The National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) has been compiled and analysed now for 21 years – since 1989. Through it, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) monitors trends and patterns in homicide across Australian jurisdictions. NHMP data are the most comprehensive collection on homicide in Australia, providing details of victims, offenders and circumstances of incidents.

There has been a steady decrease over the past three decades of homicides within Australia. Over the latest two year reporting period, there were 510 homicide incidents involving 541 victims and 611 offenders. Following a decline in the number of incidents, victims and offenders in 2008–09 over the previously published 2007–08 figures, there was a marginal increase in the number of homicides in 2009–10. However, the rate of homicide remained at a historic low of 1.2 deaths per 100,000 persons.

While gun related homicide has dropped to an historic low of 13%, the proportion of people dying through stab wounds has increased from 30% to 41% over the last 10 years

The current report marks a shift from annual to biennial reporting and depicts new data on homicide in Australia for the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2010.