Assignment 3:Data Tables – Criminal Incidents, Year Ending June 2025 (Tables 01–04)

1) The Question (Hook)

• How have family-violence (FV) crime patterns shifted in Victoria since 2016—especially for Assault & related offences and Breaches of orders—and what do location and charge outcomes reveal?

• I have used CSA Tables 01–04 to build a concise, visual story.

2) Data & Method (Open, Reproducible)

• Data: CSA (Vic) workbook – Criminal Incidents, Y/E June 2025;

• Sheets: Table 01–04.

• Method: Clean → focus on Assault (A20) & Breaches of orders (E20) → trends, FV vs non-FV, top locations (latest year), charge outcomes, and 2019→2025 change. Rates per 100k to avoid population bias.

3) Statewide Trend (Rates per 100k)

Interpretation:

• Breach-of-Orders incidents have climbed steeply since 2020, while Assault offences remained relatively steady.

• This post-pandemic surge points to increased monitoring and reporting of protection-order violations.

4) FV vs Not-FV (Rates over Time)

Interpretation:

• Family-incident crimes consistently outnumber non-family ones, especially for assaults.

• Domestic settings therefore remain the primary environment for violent incidents in Victoria.

5) FV Share in Latest Year (Incidents)

Interpretation:

• In 2025, about two-thirds of all assault incidents were linked to family violence.

• This underscores the persistent role of domestic relationships in driving violent crime rates.

6) Where FV Assault Occurs (Top Locations)

Interpretation:

• Private dwellings overwhelmingly dominate FV assault locations, far above public or commercial spaces.

• This highlights the need for stronger home-based intervention and prevention initiatives.

7) Charge Outcomes (Latest Year)

Interpretation:

• Assaults more often lead to formal charges, whereas breach-of-order cases show higher “no charge” proportions.

• This gap suggests differences in evidence requirements and enforcement practices.

8) Change Since 2019 (Rate)

Interpretation:

• Both offence types rose after 2019, but breach-of-orders increased at twice the pace of assaults.

• The pattern reflects the pandemic’s social stress and stricter enforcement of intervention orders.

9) Key Insights (Actionable)

• FV share is material—particularly within Assault, requiring sustained support services.

• Location profile (e.g., private dwellings) signals where prevention and rapid-response capacity matter most.

• Charge status split highlights where compliance monitoring and court resources affect outcomes.

• Clear post-2019 shifts suggest pandemic-era dynamics and enforcement changes worth monitoring.

10) References (APA 7th)

• Crime Statistics Agency. (2025). State of Victoria

• Data Tables – Criminal Incidents, Year Ending June 2025 (Tables 01–04) [Data set; Excel workbook].