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Youth crime down as Victoria's crime rate continues to fall

ABC News
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Crime

Changed after publishing · 1 edit
  • the headline was changed: Youth crime falls in Victoria but still 'unacceptably high' say policedown as Victoria's crime rate continues to fall

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  • Victoria's overall crime rate fell by 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June 2026.
  • Youth crime has dropped in Victoria as the state's record crime rate continues to fall, new figures show.
  • Youth offending decreased by 8.1 per cent in that time.
  • Crime Statistics Agency Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley told 774 ABC Melbourne that a 20 per cent drop in burglaries and break-ins was "really significant", but that the cause of the fall was difficult to determine.
  • The latest crime data comes after an auditor-general report this week found Victoria's $40 million flagship initiative to stop youth crime had failed to show it had driven down youth offending.

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Victoria's overall crime rate fell by 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June 2026.

Home invasions, carjackings and robberies all fell by more than 20 per cent according to the Crime Statstics Agency.

Victoria Police said the fall was promising but that more work needed to be done.

Youth crime has dropped in Victoria as the state's record crime rate continues to fall, new figures show.

The latest crime data, released today, reveals that in the past year to June, the state's crime rate dropped by 3.8 per cent.

Youth offending decreased by 8.1 per cent in that time.

While police say crime in Victoria remains "unacceptably high" at more than 13 per cent higher than three years ago, several crimes decreased.

Crime Statistics Agency Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley told 774 ABC Melbourne that a 20 per cent drop in burglaries and break-ins was "really significant", but that the cause of the fall was difficult to determine.

Regional Operations Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill said the drop in the state's crime rate was promising, but more work still needed to be done to make Victorians feel safe.

The latest crime data comes after an auditor-general report this week found Victoria's $40 million flagship initiative to stop youth crime had failed to show it had driven down youth offending.

A report published today by Victoria's Sentencing Advisory Council found prison terms for crimes such as murder rape and were getting longer.

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Mundane Readneutralized from ABC News 8.7 10 64 -0.2 41.6

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