The ABS has just released their attempt to list crimes in Australia by ranking of seriousness. It’s part of their groundwork for other crime and justice publications they issue – so it has no actual legal standing, but it’s an interesting list none the less. There’s 154 distinct offences in all, with murder coming in 1st and ‘traffic and vehicle regulatory offences’ coming in as least serious. The complete list of distinct offences is over the fold.
| Rank | Crime | |
| 1 | Murder | |
| 2 | Attempted murder | |
| 3 | Manslaughter | |
| 4 | Driving causing death | |
| 5 | Manslaughter and driving causing death, | |
| 6 | Homicide and related offences, | |
| 7 | Aggravated sexual assault | |
| 8 | Non-assaultive sexual offences against a child | |
| 9 | Sexual servitude offences | |
| 10 | Child pornography offences | |
| 11 | Non-aggravated sexual assault | |
| 12 | Non-assaultive sexual offences, | |
| 13 | Sexual assault and related offences, | |
| 14 | Import illicit drugs | |
| 15 | Export illicit drugs | |
| 16 | Import or export illicit drugs, | |
| 17 | Deal or traffic in illicit drugs – commercial quantity | |
| 18 | Manufacture illicit drugs | |
| 19 | Cultivate illicit drugs | |
| 20 | Manufacture or cultivate illicit drugs, | |
| 21 | Deal or traffic in illicit drugs – non-commercial quantity | |
| 22 | Deal or traffic in illicit drugs, | |
| 23 | Serious assault resulting in injury | |
| 24 | Abduction and kidnapping | |
| 25 | Aggravated robbery | |
| 26 | Deprivation of liberty/false imprisonment | |
| 27 | Serious assault not resulting in injury | |
| 28 | Common assault | |
| 29 | Assault, | |
| 30 | Other acts intended to cause injury, | |
| 31 | Stalking | |
| 32 | Other acts intended to cause injury, | |
| 33 | Acts intended to cause injury, | |
| 34 | Neglect or ill-treatment of persons under care | |
| 35 | Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, | |
| 36 | Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, | |
| 37 | Drive under the influence of alcohol or other substance | |
| 38 | Dangerous or negligent operation (driving) of a vehicle | |
| 39 | Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, | |
| 40 | Non-aggravated robbery | |
| 41 | Blackmail and extortion | |
| 42 | Threatening behaviour | |
| 43 | Procure or commit illegal abortion | |
| 44 | Property damage by fire or explosion | |
| 45 | Offences against government security | |
| 46 | Import or export prohibited weapons/explosives | |
| 47 | Sell, possess and/or use prohibited weapons/explosives | |
| 48 | Prohibited weapons/explosives offences, | |
| 49 | Prohibited weapons/explosives offences, | |
| 50 | Unlawfully obtain or possess regulated weapons/explosives | |
| 51 | Misuse of regulated weapons/explosives | |
| 52 | Deal or traffic regulated weapons/explosives offences | |
| 53 | Regulated weapons/explosives offences, | |
| 54 | Regulated weapons/explosives offences, | |
| 55 | Prohibited and regulated weapons and explosives offences, | |
| 56 | Counterfeiting of currency | |
| 57 | Bribery involving government officials | |
| 58 | Subvert the course of justice | |
| 59 | Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter | |
| 60 | Obtain benefit by deception | |
| 61 | Forgery of documents | |
| 62 | Possess equipment to make false / illegal instrument | |
| 63 | Fraudulent trade practices | |
| 64 | Dishonest conversion | |
| 65 | Misrepresentation of professional status | |
| 66 | Other fraud and deception offences, | |
| 67 | Illegal non-fraudulent trade practices | |
| 68 | Theft of a motor vehicle | |
| 69 | Illegal use of a motor vehicle | |
| 70 | Theft from a person (excluding by force) | |
| 71 | Theft of motor vehicle parts or contents | |
| 72 | Motor vehicle theft and related offences, | |
| 73 | Theft of intellectual property | |
| 74 | Theft from retail premises | |
| 75 | Theft (except motor vehicles), | |
| 76 | Theft (except motor vehicles), | |
| 77 | Receive or handle proceeds of crime | |
| 78 | Illegal use of property (except motor vehicles) | |
| 79 | Commercial/industry/financial regulation | |
| 80 | Import/export regulations | |
| 81 | Offences against privacy | |
| 82 | Harassment and private nuisance | |
| 83 | Exceed the prescribed content of alcohol or other substance limit | |
| 84 | Graffiti | |
| 85 | Property damage, . | |
| 86 | Air pollution offences | |
| 87 | Water pollution offences | |
| 88 | Soil pollution offences | |
| 89 | Noise pollution offences | |
| 90 | Environmental pollution, . | |
| 91 | Environmental pollution, | |
| 92 | Sanitation offences | |
| 93 | Disease prevention offences | |
| 94 | Occupational health and safety offences | |
| 95 | Transport regulation offences | |
| 96 | Dangerous substances offences | |
| 97 | Licit drug offences | |
| 98 | Public health and safety offences, . | |
| 99 | Public health and safety offences, | |
| 100 | Environmental regulation offences | |
| 101 | Immigration offences | |
| 102 | Quarantine offences | |
| 103 | Offences against justice procedures, . | |
| 104 | Offences against government operations, . | |
| 105 | Escape custody offences | |
| 106 | Breach of home detention | |
| 107 | Breach of suspended sentence | |
| 108 | Breach of custodial order offences, | |
| 109 | Breach of parole | |
| 110 | Breach of community service order | |
| 111 | Breach of bond – probation | |
| 112 | Breach of bail | |
| 113 | Breach of violence order | |
| 114 | Breach of bond – other | |
| 115 | Breach of community based order, . | |
| 116 | Breach of community based order, | |
| 117 | Prison regulation offences | |
| 118 | Bribery (excluding government officials) | |
| 119 | Breach of non-violence orders | |
| 120 | Defamation and libel | |
| 121 | Censorship offences | |
| 122 | Vilify or incite hatred on racial, cultural or ethnic grounds | |
| 123 | Cruelty to animals | |
| 124 | Possess illicit drugs | |
| 125 | Use illicit drugs | |
| 126 | Possess and/or use illicit drugs, | |
| 127 | Other illicit drug offences, | |
| 128 | Riot and affray | |
| 129 | Trespass | |
| 130 | Offensive language | |
| 131 | Offensive behaviour | |
| 132 | Criminal intent | |
| 133 | Disorderly conduct, | |
| 134 | Betting and gambling offences | |
| 135 | Liquor and tobacco offences | |
| 136 | Prostitution offences | |
| 137 | Offences against public order sexual standards | |
| 138 | Resist or hinder police officer or justice official | |
| 139 | Resist or hinder government officer concerned with government security | |
| 140 | Resist or hinder government official (excluding police,justice officer) | |
| 141 | Drive while licence disqualified or suspended | |
| 142 | Drive without a licence | |
| 143 | Driver licence offences, . | |
| 144 | Driver licence offences, | |
| 145 | Registration offences | |
| 146 | Roadworthiness offences | |
| 147 | Vehicle registration and roadworthiness offences, | |
| 148 | Exceed the legal speed limit | |
| 149 | Parking offences | |
| 150 | Regulatory driving offences, . | |
| 151 | Consumption of legal substances in regulated spaces | |
| 152 | Regulated public order offences, | |
| 153 | Pedestrian offences | |
| 154 | Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences, | |
| 155 | Other miscellaneous offences . |
23 Comments
Poss,
There seems to be a lot of overlap here, for example:
1 Murder
2 Attempted murder
I can agree that these should be at the top and don’t overlap but of the next 4, there is significant overlap, possibly indicating a lack of understanding about the acual offences:
3 Manslaughter
4 Driving causing death
5 Manslaughter and driving causing death,
6 Homicide and related offences,
Homicide is any death caused by another person. It is either murder, manslaughter or an excusable homicide like self defence. The latter I find hard to believe that people think is actually a scime, neverlone one more serious than sexual assault. The first two are already in the list, so why include this category. Same can be said for 3 and 5. Unless the driving causing death was intentional or recklessly indifferent to human life (in which case it’s murder), then it is either manslaughter or negilgence occaisionaing death (essentially manslaughter), accordingly, why the need for 5?
Interesting to see:
151 Consumption of legal substances in regulated spaces
rate so low (I assume we are talking about alcohol and smoking here) – it’s a little at odds with the Political position taken on these things.
You know, I’d be really curious to see this sort of data in a historical context. I mean, I know there’s probably no data like this from before now, but I’d be curious to see the ABS do something like this every decade or so, to see which crimes become more or less serious across time (or even which offenses become irrelevant and leave the list)
The left off the worst crime of all. Treason. I notice regicide is not there either but I guess that gets grouped under murder. There is not specific terrorism crime I see.
Is their ranking based on some measure of public sentiment, or based on the legislation itself, or based on statistics of actual judgements? I’m assuming its the third of these, but would like to be sure.
Censorship offences? Did they mean the act of censorship or the circumvention of censorship?
Offences against government security is way up on the list. Wonder what it means..
Not too surprised that offences related to cars (my… precious..!) are way down the list.
And child pornography. No distinction between making child porn, viewing it (without benefit to the maker) and paying for it.
Glad to see that sedition didn’t make the list. Interesting to see that Graffiti offenses (#84) are far worse than Escape custody offences (#105) or Vilify or incite hatred on racial, cultural or ethnic grounds (#122).
Crimes against Psephology?
125 – Use illicit drugs
Sentencing must be really out of whack.
Why is cruelty to animals way down at 123?
How I would rank them :
Rank Crime
1 Murder
2 Attempted murder
3 Manslaughter including Driving causing death
4 Aggravated sexual assault
5 Non-assaultive sexual offences against a child
6 Sexual servitude offences
7 Vilify or incite hatred on racial, cultural or ethnic grounds
8 Child pornography production and distribution
9 Child pornography purchase and possession
10 Child pornography possession
11 Non-aggravated sexual assault
12 Non-assaultive sexual offences,
13 Sexual assault and related offences,
14 Import or export illicit drugs
15 Deal or traffic in illicit drugs
16 Manufacture illicit drugs
17 Cultivate illicit drugs for sale
18 Serious assault resulting in injury
19 Abduction and kidnapping
20 Aggravated robbery
21 Deprivation of liberty/false imprisonment
22 Serious assault not resulting in injury
23 Common assault
24 Assault
25 Other acts intended to cause injury
26 Riot and affray
27 Air pollution offences
28 Water pollution offences
29 Soil pollution offences
30 Noise pollution offences
31 Environmental pollution, .
32 Sanitation offences
33 Disease prevention offences
34 Occupational health and safety offence
35 Public health and safety offences, .
36 Environmental regulation offences
37 Quarantine offences
38 Exceed the legal speed limit
39 Roadworthiness offences
40 Offences against justice procedures, .
41 Offences against government operations,
42 Bribery involving government officials
43 Stalking
44 Neglect or ill-treatment of persons under care
45 Cruelty to animals
46 Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons
47 Drive under the influence of alcohol or other substance
48 Dangerous or negligent operation (driving) of a vehicle
49 Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons,
50 Non-aggravated robbery
51 Blackmail and extortion
52 Threatening behaviour
53 Property damage by fire or explosion
54 Offences against government security
55 Import or export prohibited weapons/explosives
56 Sell, possess and/or use prohibited weapons/explosives
57 Unlawfully obtain or possess regulated weapons/explosives
58 Misuse of regulated weapons/explosives
59 Deal or traffic regulated weapons/explosives offences
60 Prohibited and regulated weapons and explosives offences,
61 Counterfeiting of currency
62 Subvert the course of justice
63 Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
64 Obtain benefit by deception
65 Forgery of documents
66 Possess equipment to make false / illegal instrument
67 Fraudulent trade practices
68 Dishonest conversion
69 Misrepresentation of professional status
70 Other fraud and deception offences,
71 Illegal non-fraudulent trade practices
72 Theft of a motor vehicle
73 Illegal use of a motor vehicle
74 Theft from a person (excluding by force)
75 Theft of motor vehicle parts or contents
76 Motor vehicle theft and related offences,
77 Theft of intellectual property
78 Theft from retail premises
79 Theft (except motor vehicles),
80 Receive or handle proceeds of crime
81 Illegal use of property (except motor vehicles)
82 Commercial/industry/financial regulation
83 Import/export regulations
84 Immigration offences
85 Offences against privacy
86 Harassment and private nuisance
87 Exceed the prescribed content of alcohol or other substance limit
88 Graffiti
89 Property damage,
90 Transport regulation offences
91 Dangerous substances offences
92 Licit drug offences
93 Escape custody offences
94 Breach of home detention
95 Breach of suspended sentence
96 Breach of custodial order offences,
97 Breach of parole
98 Breach of community service order
99 Breach of bond – probation
100 Breach of bail
101 Breach of violence order
102 Breach of bond – other
103 Breach of community based order, .
104 Breach of community based order,
105 Prison regulation offences
106 Bribery (excluding government officials)
107 Breach of non-violence orders
108 Defamation and libel
109 Censorship offences
110 Possess illicit drugs
111 Use illicit drugs
112 Other illicit drug offences,
113 Trespass
114 Offensive language
115 Offensive behaviour
116 Criminal intent
117 Disorderly conduct,
118 Liquor and tobacco offences
119 Offences against public order sexual standards
120 Resist or hinder police officer or justice official
121 Resist or hinder government officer concerned with government security
122 Resist or hinder government official (excluding police,justice officer)
123 Drive while licence disqualified or suspended
124 Drive without a licence
125 Driver licence offences,
126 Registration offences.
127 Parking offences
128 Regulatory driving offences,
129 Consumption of legal substances in regulated spaces .
130 Regulated public order offences,
131 Pedestrian offences
132 Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences,
133 Other miscellaneous offences
134 Betting and gambling offences
135 Prostitution offences
Effing disgusting how far down cruelty to animals is (even in yours Mr Richards, although you’re a big improvement).
yes – it was a first run through – doubtless I could move some further up the list, and probably would, it took long enough to do the cursory remodel I did do… at least my version is a better starting point to move some up and some down. The original version was decidedly erroneous.
I was tempted to move all the drug offences down to the bottom, with the other ‘victimless’ crimes. I don’t use drugs nor do I approve of them, but prohibition has been a failure, and only provided organised crime with a source of funds, and tends to increase most other areas of crime, including bribery and corruption of police and government officials. I would also have had “buying political influence through donation to a political party” or something like that (whatever the legalese would be), but no such offense exists afaik.
David Richards @ 11 & 12,
Fair points. It isn’t a subject that lends itself to one-column lists, anyway.
And yes, Thomas Paine, where IS treason?
cud-chewer, re: “And child pornography. No distinction between making child porn, viewing it (without benefit to the maker) and paying for it.”
Some people would say that viewing it or paying for it IS as bad as making it. It’s not a victimless crime. If the porn EXISTS, then a child has already been harmed…
Rankings 138, 139 and 140 show that there is still a strong anti-authoritarian streak about us – a touch of the old Ned Kelly.
I’m personally very shocked that those offences are seen as so minor. Ditto with cruelty to animals.
Fabulous class of avatar pictures here on Pollytics.
I feel inappropriately dressed, like a imp at a nature-sprites’ convention
What I can never fathom is how society (as reflected in this list) manage the logical gymnastics required to make the following distinctions:
4 Driving causing death
5 Manslaughter and driving causing death,
37 Drive under the influence of alcohol or other substance
148 Exceed the legal speed limit
154 Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences,
Assuming that driving in a such a manner as to intentionally cause death is classified as murder (and thus other circumstances are covered by #4), then essentially such distinctions appear to be made solely on the basis of outcome, with almost no consideration given to the intention, negligence or recklessness of drivers.
Consider cases of drivers killing other road uses whilst texting on their mobile phone. Under this list the driver that texts whilst driving and does not hit anything is rated a lowly 154th. Whereas another driver, in otherwise identical circumstances, might kill a cyclist (such as what happened near Geelong a few years ago) and they are apparently up there with the worst of the worst. (For recent discussion of dangers of mobile phones in cars see the New York Times.)
Of course the more common example is driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. In Victoria we seem to jail drunk drivers that kill for at least a couple of years, ostensibly on the basis that it serves a general deterrent to other drivers. And yet there are probably tens or hundreds of drivers pulled over on the same night who barely get a slap on the wrist.
If society really considers driving causing death the fourth most serious offence then we should at the very least consider locking for a week up all drivers who exceed the blood alcohol limit. Of course it won’t happen. Which makes the low ratings of the very offences most likely to cause such a death completely illogical, and exposes the justice system’s so-called ‘general deterrence’ as little more than a smokescreen for old-fashioned revenge.
Larceny, heresy, mayhem and witchcraft didn’t even get a mention. I feel like an REM fan listening to the trile j hottest hundred countdown.
Interesting that kidnapping comes in at 24, below growing dope, yet kidnapping carries the death penalty in parts of America. Wonder how other countries rank the same crimes?
Fiona, if there exists a picture of someone being set on fire (such pictures are easy to find and have appeared on TV) then is the act of viewing the picture as bad as committing the act itself?
My point is to show just how irrational “mainstream opinion” can be.
For my part, I am finding things like ’stalking’ and ‘blackmail and extortion’ down too low on the list. These things, unlike say, common assault, seem to create longer term harm, and are a serious breach of community ethics.
I’m no lawyer or judge though…
By the by, I managed to answer my own question in regards to how the seriousness of crimes have changed over the years, by emailing ABS themselves. There’s actually a concordance table showing where each crime on the 2009 list was on the 2001 list. I suspect, but am not certain, that most of the differences are actually insertions of new crimes, rather than any changes in relation to other crimes.
The link to the concordance table (Excel file) is:
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/20B5F775CA9D97DBCA2575FB0018733C/$File/1234.0.55.001%20concordance.xls
Apparently growing your own weed is worse than robbery and kidnapping. strange.
Can’t understand why using home grown weed rates as a crime at all. Ditto, why does cruelty to animals rate so far down the ladder?