Glossary

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Group Sub-group Definition
Arson Wilfully and unlawfully destroying or damaging property by fire or explosion.
Cause Damage by Fire The use of fire or explosion to cause damage to property.
Cause Bushfire Wilfully light a bushfire to injure or damage; or place a match or other inflammable or combustible substance in the open (including during a total fire ban), that then ignites and gets out of control.
Other Fire Related Offences Other fire related offences not elsewhere classified.
Assault The use of force against another person, or the threat of the use of force where the threat has a real or perceived ability to be enacted at the time.
Serious Assault
  • Use of force against another person resulting in injuries such as:
    • Grievous bodily harm;
    • Actual bodily harm;
    • Wounding;
    • Severe mental behavioural disturbance or disorder; or
  • Administering drugs to another person with intent to assault; or
  • Assaulting a Public Officer (Assault Police Officer reported separately).
Common Assault The use of force, or threatened use of force, against another person, that does not result in bodily harm.
Assault Police Officer The direct infliction of force or violence against a police officer, which may involve bodily harm.
Breach of Violence Restraint Order An act, by an individual, of breaching the requirements of an order of law prescribed specifically for them.
Family Violence Restraint Order Breaching the requirements of a Family Violence Restraint Order or breaching the requirements of a Violence Restraint Order where a family relationship has been determined to exist.
Violence Restraint Order Breaching the requirements of a Violence Restraint Order.
Police Order Breaching the requirements of a Police Order.
Burglary The unlawful entry of a structure with the intent to commit an offence, or committing an offence in a place when in that place without consent. A structure is defined as a building that is contained by walls and can be secured in some form. This includes, but is not limited to, a:

  • dwelling (e.g. house, flat, caravan);
  • office;
  • bank;
  • shop;
  • factory;
  • school; and
  • church.
Burglary (Dwelling) To enter or attempt to enter any building, structure, tent, or caravan that is ordinarily used for human habitation without consent and with intent to commit an offence.
Burglary (Non-Dwelling) To enter or attempt to enter a building, structure, or tent other than a dwelling without the owner's consent and with intent to commit an offence.
Circumstances of Aggravation Circumstances in which:

  • Either immediately before, during, or immediately after the commission of an offence, the offender:
    • is or pretends to be armed with a dangerous or offensive weapon or instrument; or
    • is or pretends to be in possession of an explosive substance; or
    • is in company with another person or other persons; or
    • does bodily harm to any person; or
    • threatens to kill or injure any person; or
    • detains any person; or
  • Immediately before the commission of the offence, the offender knew, or ought to have known, that there was another person (other than a co-offender) in the place.
Crime Rate Rate of offences per 100,000 people based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population as at June in any given year.
Deprivation of Liberty
Kidnapping/Child Stealing The abducting of a person against their will and depriving them of their personal liberty with intent to:

  • gain a benefit,
  • cause a detriment,
  • prevent, hinder or compel an act.
Includes abduction of a child under the age of 16 years and depriving them of their personal liberty, with the intention of depriving any person with lawful care of the child. Includes fraudulently enticing the child away.
Deprivation of Liberty The unlawful detention of a person against their will.
Drug Offences The possessing, selling, dealing or trafficking, importing or exporting, manufacturing or cultivating of drugs or other substances prohibited under legislation.
Drug Dealing The supply of an illicit drug or controlled substance of any quantity; or the purchase or possession of an illicit drug or controlled substance, where the amount involved is deemed to be of a quantity for commercial activity.
Cultivate or Manufacture Drugs Actions resulting or intended to result in either the manufacture of controlled substances, or cultivation of plants used to make illicit drugs.
Drug Possession The possession of a non-commercial quantity of an illicit drug or controlled substance of which possession or use is prohibited under legislation.
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia The possession of pipes, syringes, or other utensils associated with the use of drugs.
Other Drug Offences Other drug offences not elsewhere classified, such as ‘occupier permit drug offence’ or ‘conspiracy to commit a drug offence’.
Family Relationship The following definition is to be used in conjunction with any reference to 'family' related offences:

'Family' includes: partner, ex-partner, parents, guardians of children, and children who reside or regularly stay with involved parties.
Fraud and Related Offences Offences involving a dishonest act or omission, carried out with the intention of deceiving for the purpose of obtaining a benefit or avoiding some detriment/disadvantage.
Forgery Forging or uttering records with intent to defraud, counterfeiting currency, or possessing equipment to forge or counterfeit. Includes all attempts.
Fraud (Credit Card) The use of deception or impersonation with the intent of dishonestly obtaining property, services or other benefit, or to avoid detriment/disadvantage, through the use of unlawfully obtained credit/debit card information.
Fraud (Not Elsewhere Classified) Fraud not elsewhere classified.

Prior to June 2017 this offence type included credit card fraud.
Graffiti Unlawful property damage caused by the application of substances (e.g. paint) or etching or scratching.
Historical Sexual Offence Historical Sexual Offence is a sexual offence that is reported more than 90 days after the offence occurred.
Homicide Unlawfully kill, attempt to unlawfully kill, or conspiracy to kill another person.
Murder Unlawfully kill another person where :

  • there is an intent to kill; or
  • there is an intent to cause bodily harm of such a nature as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, the life of the person killed, or another person; or
  • the death is caused by an act done in the prosecution of an unlawful purpose, of such a nature as to be likely to endanger life.
Attempted/Conspiracy to Murder The attempted unlawful killing of another person or conspiring with others to commit murder.
Manslaughter The unlawful killing of another person under circumstances that do not amount to murder.
Driving Causing Death The unlawful killing of another person without intent to kill, as a result of culpable, reckless, or negligent driving.
Motor Vehicle A motor vehicle:

  • Is built to be propelled by a motor that forms part of the vehicle;
  • Is self-propelled that is not operated on rails and includes a trailer, semi-trailer or caravan while attached to a motor vehicle;
  • Does not include a power assisted pedal cycle; and
  • Must be eligible for registration for use on public roads.
Non-Family Relationship Every other family or personal relationship which is not listed under the Family Relationship definition.
Offence Outcome Status Code A status applied to each offence as a determination of the end state of a recorded offence within a reported incident.
Civil/Other Offence is considered to be a civil matter where a breach of a verbal or written contract between two or more parties has occurred. E.g. tenant of rental property causes wear and tear damage, not 'Property Damage' or 'Criminal Damage'.

From July 2017 this code has been removed from the Offence Outcome Status Codes list.
Complaint Withdrawn Investigating police officers consider an offence to have occurred, however victim indicates they no longer support an investigation or charging of a suspect.
False Report Deliberate (criminal) reporting of an offence that did not occur.
Insufficient Evidence Evidence is not sufficient to proceed by way of charge against a suspect for the recorded offence.
Mistakenly Reported Applied when an offence is discovered to be mistakenly reported - e.g. Victim rings police to report their vehicle has been stolen from a car park, then call back to advise police that they have found their vehicle.

This Offence Outcome Status Code has been replaced by 'No Criminal Offence' from July 2017.
No Criminal Offence It has been determined by investigating police officers that a criminal offence, as defined by legislation, has not occurred.
Offender Processed Offender has been processed (e.g. charged, infringement issued, referred to a Juvenile Justice Team, cautioned, etc.).
Offence Substituted The offence to which this is applied is replaced with another, on the basis that the initially recorded offence is no longer deemed an accurate reflection of the circumstances.
Statute Barred This Offence Outcome Status Code has been renamed to 'Unable to Proceed/Charge' from July 2017.

Unable to progress charging of offender (e.g. statute of limitations, death, immature age, etc.).
Unable to Proceed/Charge Unable to progress charging of offender (e.g. statute of limitations, death, immature age, etc.). Does not include circumstances where evidence is not sufficient to charge.
Uncleared Investigating police officers consider an offence to have occurred, but remains unresolved.
Under Investigation Investigation is in progress. Final outcome not yet determined.
Withdrawn This Offence Outcome Status Code has been renamed to 'Complaint Withdrawn' from July 2017.

Investigating police officers consider an offence to have occurred, however victim indicates they no longer support an investigation or charging of the offender.
Property Damage Property damage, other than in circumstances where the damage was caused facilitating another offence – for example, damage caused to facilitate entry to a building for the purpose of committing burglary is not recorded as its own offence.
Criminal Damage The wilful and unlawful destruction or damage of the property of another person/entity without their consent.
Damage The unlawful destruction or damage of the property of another person without their consent.
Receiving and Possession of Stolen Property Receive, handle, process or possess money or goods taken or obtained illegally.
Possess Stolen Property Possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property, or property reasonably suspected of having been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Receiving Stolen Property Knowingly receiving, handling or dealing with property obtained by means of an act constituting an indictable offence.
Recent Sexual Offence Recent Sexual Offence is a sexual offence that is reported within 90 days of the offence occurring.
Recorded Offences Recorded offences are all offences reported to or becoming known to police within the relevant time period and do not have an Offence Outcome Status Code of 'No Criminal Offence', 'Offence Substituted', or 'False Report'. The number of reported offences is not within the direct control of the police.

Recorded offences exclude offences against public order, such as disorderly conduct, and offences against the Firearms Act 1973, Liquor Licensing Act 1988, and a number of other offences against the statute laws of this State and the Commonwealth.
Regulated Weapons Offences Offences relating to possessing weapons/explosives, or items intended to be used as weapons, in circumstances that contravene legislative and regulatory requirements.

Excludes the use of weapons to threaten or injure persons or property, such as discharging a firearm to cause fear which is reported as ‘Threatening Behaviour’.
Robbery Uses, attempts to use, or threatens, violence against a person or business to facilitate stealing of property.
Robbery (Business) Uses, attempts to use, or threatens violence, to facilitate the unlawful taking of property belonging to a business.
Robbery (Non-Business) Uses, attempts to use, or threatens violence, to facilitate the unlawful taking of property, other than that belonging to a business.
Sanction All criminal offences that have had an Offence Outcome Status Code applied that is classified as a sanction outcome.

From July 2017 onwards:
A sanction outcome includes the Offence Outcome Status Codes of: Offender Processed, Complaint Withdrawn, and Unable to Proceed/Charge.

Prior to July 2017:
A sanction outcome includes the Offence Outcome Status Codes of: Offender Processed, Withdrawn, Statute Barred and Civil/Other.
Sanction Rate The number of 'recorded offences' that have had a sanction outcome in the relevant time period, divided by the number of 'recorded offences' in the same time period, expressed as a percentage.

The Sanction Rate may exceed 100% if the number of offences with a sanction outcome recorded in a given time period is greater than the number of new offences recorded in the same time period.

The Sanction Rate calculation prior to July 2017 is based on 'Verified Offences', which reflects the different set of Offence Outcome Status Codes that were used for this period.
Sexual Offences Acts of a sexual nature, or committed with an intent of a sexual nature, against another person, which are non-consensual or where consent is given in proscribed circumstances.
Sexual Assault Physical contact, or the intent of contact, of a sexual nature against another person, which is non-consensual or where consent is given in proscribed circumstances.
Non-Assaultive Sexual Offences Sexual related offences, other than sexual assault. (e.g. Child exploitation material, grooming, procuring for prostitution, wilful exposure, etc.).
Stealing The unlawful taking or obtaining of money, goods or services, without the use of force, threat of force or violence, coercion or deception.
Stealing From Motor Vehicle (Contents or Parts) To steal or attempt to steal, the contents or parts from a motor vehicle.
Stealing From Retail Premises (Shoplift) To steal or attempt to steal goods on display for sale from a retail premises (otherwise known as ‘shoplifting’). Does not include the theft of property from retail premises where the property was taken from areas not accessible to the public, or where the property is taken in circumstances that would be described as a burglary.
Stealing From Dwelling To steal or attempt to steal property from a dwelling and/or its yard, where the entry was lawfully gained and without violence or threat of violence.
Stealing From Other Premises or Place To steal or attempt to steal property other than from a dwelling, motor vehicle or retail premises, without violence or threat of violence.
Stealing as a Servant To steal or attempt to steal property by an employee from their employer, without violence or threat of violence.
Stealing (Not Elsewhere Classified) To steal or attempt to steal property without violence or threat or violence, and not elsewhere classified.
Stealing of Motor Vehicle The taking of a motor vehicle without consent. Excludes attempts to steal a motor vehicle.
Threatening Behaviour
Threatening Behaviour Declaration, orally via a communications device or recording, using a computer, or in writing, of intention to punish or hurt; to injure body, property or reputation; or give warning of intention to inflict harm or revenge.
Possess Weapon to Cause Fear A person who is, or pretends to be, armed with any dangerous or offensive weapon or instrument in circumstances that are likely to cause fear to any person.

Includes discharging of a firearm to cause fear.
Verified Offences Verified offences was used prior to July 2017.

Verified offences were all offences reported to or becoming known to police within the relevant time period, that had not been determined to be either a 'False Report' or 'Mistakenly Reported'. The number of reported offences is not within the direct control of the police.

Verified offences exclude offences against public order, such as disorderly conduct, and offences against the Firearms Act 1973, Liquor Licensing Act 1988, and a number of other offences against the statute laws of this State and the Commonwealth.
Year to Date Year-to-date (YTD) is a period starting from the beginning of the current financial year and continuing up to the current month of data.