Crime and justice research Impact of COVID-19
The social containment measures implemented to minimise the transmission of the COVID19 virus coincided with changes in crime trends. Research was undertaken to better understand these changes.
Current Releases
COVID-19 pandemic and illicit drug offence trends (report)
The COVID-19 and illicit drug offence trends, March to June 2020 research brief explores illicit drug offence trends occurring after the introduction COVID-19 containment measures. Analyses presented in the brief show that:
- while most types of crime decreased, the rate of illicit drug offences increased between March and June 2020
- increases in illicit drug offences were largely driven by growth in minor illicit drug offending
- the magnitude of growth varied across different demographic groups and locations.
COVID-19 and DFV assault offence trends (report)
The COVID-19 and DFV assault offence trends paper describes research undertaken to determine if Queensland’s recorded DFV assault rates changed following the implementation of COVID-19 containment measures. The research found no evidence to suggest significantly higher than expected rates of DFV assault and breach of domestic violence offences between March 2020 and September 2020 when examining police data.