Crime and justice research Victimisation

The research described in The victim-offender overlap among young people in Queensland report builds on previous work showing a relatively high prevalence of victimisation among offenders. While around half (51%) of young people in contact with police were ‘offenders only’, one third (33%) were victims of personal crime only and 16% had both offended and experienced victimisation. Victim-offending was most common among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females (33%) and least common among young non-Indigenous males (13%). Being a ‘victim only’ was most common among young non-Indigenous females (48%) and least common among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males (10%). Around two thirds (62%) of young victim-offenders first had contact with the police as a victim and revictimisation was more common among young victim-offenders (34.2%) than young ‘victims only’ (13.7%). The prevalence of personal and persistent offending was also more common among victim-offenders than ‘offenders only’.

The Overlap between offending and victimisation in Queensland report describes research showing that while most individuals coming into contact with police were ‘offenders only’ (76%), a not insubstantial share of people both offended and experienced personal victimisation (12%), or only experienced personal victimisation (12%). The victim-offender overlap was most common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females (39%), and least common among non-Indigenous males (9%) that had contact with the police. Being a ‘victim only’ was most common among non-Indigenous females (21%) and least common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males (2%). Understanding and addressing the interrelationship between offending and victimisation is important given the research findings showing higher frequency and severity of offences committed by victim-offenders when compared with people who ‘offend only’.

The Insights into the abuse of older Queenslanders report describes research based on an examination of information available in police and courts administrative data. The research found that while older people accounted for a smaller share of total victimisations and domestic violence (DVO) applications than their representation in the general community, higher growth in the victimisation rate and DVO application rate was observed among older people than young people (when comparing 2020–21 with 2008–09). Consistent with findings reported elsewhere, analysis of personal victimisations and DVO applications involving older people tended to be committed by social contacts or family members, rather than intimate partners. The criminal justice data also indicated that the abuse of older people is often intergenerational.

The Victimisation from personal crime in Queensland research report shows how the prevalence of victimisation and revictimisation differs across different demographic groups. Analyses show that:

• the rate of victimisation from personal crime (such as assault, robbery, sexual offences and homicide) decreased in Queensland, when comparing 2008–09 and 2018–19
• victimisation is a gendered phenomenon, with female victims more likely than male victims to experience revictimisation and repeat victimisation (revictimisation including a different offender)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (and females especially) are overrepresented as victims of personal crime, and among those who experience revictimisation
• the time between victimisations was shorter for people revictimised by the same offender (repeat victimisation) than those revictimised by a different offender.