Full story at https://caainc.org.au/

The latest figures on Victorian crime make for a difficult read, and without any hint of a silver lining, things are going to get worse.

A comparison between 2015 and 2025 highlights the increase in crime, but even more worrying is the dramatic increase in the 2025 figures. The increases are reaching warp speed, and there is no strategy or even visible effort to rein in the problem.

Key drivers included the cost-of-living crisis and an increase in repeat offending, particularly among young people. The year ending in June saw 497,116 criminal offences, an 8% increase on the previous year. The rate of offences per 100,000 people also rose by 13.8%. 

And that was 2015 - 10 years ago.

Now in Victoria, for the 12 months to March 2025, there was a 17.1% rise in recorded offences to 638,640. The crime rate also increased by 15.2% per 100,000 people. 

This surge was driven by a 20.1% increase in criminal incidents and a 19.4% rise in alleged offender incidents, with significant increases noted in various areas, including theft, family incidents, and offences involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  

Responsibility for this monumental failure lies with just...