Statistics
How do I find statistics?
Searching the websites listed in this page can guide you to find reports and statistics.
Search tip: Use Google to search across multiple Australian, state, territory, and local government websites by including site:gov.au (or site:sa.gov.au to limit to South Australian bodies) in your search, per the example below.
A range of statistics can be found via the Library Collection and in the Library's criminology and criminal justice databases.
When searching for your topic, include 'data' or 'statistics', e.g.:
Not sure how we created this search? Revisit the tab Plan your search.
Statistics databases
The Library provides access to dedicated statistics databases.
When searching these, there is no need to include the term statistics. Instead, keep your search broad. Just search for a keyword on your topic, for example: 'policing' or 'crime'.
- OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development) DataThis database includes statistical charts, maps, tables, and related publications about the OECD member countries.
- StatistaThis database provides access to statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, organizations, scientific publications, and government sources across 150+ countries.
Australian crime statistics
A number of Australian organisations and agencies gather and supply statistics which specifically relate to crime, either at the national or state level. Other criminology and criminal justice organisations and government departments may also feature statistics on their websites.
The following resources contain national crime statistics.
- Crime statistics - Australian GovernmentLatest statistics from the Australian Institute of Criminology
- Crime and justice statisticsRecent statistical releases from the Australian Bureau of Statistics relating to crime, corrective services and the legal system
The following resources contain crime statistics at the state or territory-level.
- ACT crime statisticsQuarterly statistics from ACT Policing detailing crimes in Canberra
- Crime in Western AustraliaCrime statistics from the Western Australia Police Force
- Crime Statistics Agency VictoriaQuarterly releases of crime in Victoria, including demographics
- Department of Police & Emergency Management crime statisticsIncludes annual supplements, listing offences reported to Tasmanian police
- Northern Territory crime statisticsSupplied by the Northern Territory Police Force
- Northern Territory Government criminal justice statisticsAnalysis and statistics by the Criminal Justice Research and Statistics Unit (Department of the Attorney-General and Justice)
- NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and ResearchStatistics on the distribution and frequency of crime in NSW
- Queensland crime statisticsVisualisation from Queensland Police
- South Australian crime statisticsInteractive crime map and monthly statistics from SA Police
- South Australian Government Data Directory crime statisticsYearly suburb-level crime data in SA
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is Australia's national statistical agency. They collect national data on a broad range of demographic, economic, environmental and social topics, and are responsible for Australia's Census of Population and Housing.
ABS data can be searched by keyword, or browsed by region or topic.
Tips for searching the ABS site
To search for specific statistics by keyword, click the magnifying glass icon on the ABS homepage:
Enter your keyword in the box that appears and click search:
Browse ABS statistics:
- Census dataAccess to current and previous census data, and associated reports.
- Data by regionProvides data via a map search.
International statistics
Many countries have national statistical agencies like the ABS. These can be useful in locating country-level data, such as national crime statistics.
- International statistical agenciesCreated by the U.S. Census Bureau, this page provides a list of statistical organisations and agencies ordered by country.
Some additional sources of crime statistics globally and internationally are listed below.
- Crime statistics - ScienceDirect topic pageThis page has compiled resources from the database ScienceDirect relating to crime statistics.
- Global organized crime indexThe index measures national-level organized crime, and rates each country's resilience to organised-crime.
- UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) statisticsInternational drug and crime statistics from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
- International historical statistics : 1750-2010This three-volume set is the latest edition of the most authoritative collection of historical statistics available. Updated to 2010 wherever possible, it provides key economic and social indicators for the last 260 years, serving as an essential reference source.
Criminology and statistics
There are many texts that discuss the value of using statistics in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. You can find more about this by searching relevant keywords in the Library Collection.
Basic statistics in criminology and criminal justice by This introductory text uses real-life examples of the application and interpretation of statistics in criminal justice research.
The video below describes an example of the role of statistics in the criminal justice system.
Video length: 12 min 41 sec