ARE WE BECOMING MORE VIOLENT - A COMPARISON OF TRENDS IN VIOLENT AND PROPERTY OFFENSES IN AUSTRALIA AND WESTERN-AUSTRALIA

This paper examines Australian and West Australian trends in robbery, assault, and burglary. Police figures are contrasted with the results of Australian victimization surveys. The limitations of Australian vic timization surveys are discussed. The results of Australian victimizat ion surveys are contrasted with the results of the National Crime Surv ey in the United States and the International Crime Victim Survey. Whe n all the qualifications are considered, it is concluded that there ha s been a trend upward in burglary and robbery prevalence and that this upward trend occurred mainly in the 1980s. However, because there is little evidence of a concomitant rise in the assault rate, the increas ing prevalence of robbery and burglary is interpreted as reflecting so cial phenomena that are associated with ''acquisitiveness'' rather tha n ''aggressiveness.'' Other evidence pertaining to the level of violen ce in Australia is considered and it is concluded that this is insuffi cient to allow a conclusion that we are, as a nation, becoming more vi olent.