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Table 11.16 and graph 11.17 present national statistics on the use of weapons in the commission of selected offences in 1998 and 1999. A weapon was used in 64% of recorded murders and 79% of recorded attempted murders in 1999, a slight decrease from 1998 figures of 71% and 84% respectively. Weapon use in robbery also decreased from 46% in 1998 to 42% in 1999. The proportion of offences where a firearm was used decreased for both murder and robbery in 1999, but firearms use increased in attempted murders (from 19% in 1998 to 32% in 1999). The use of firearms in assaults and sexual assaults was less than 1% in both.


11.16 VICTIMS OF REPORTED CRIME(a), By Use of Weapon in Commission of Offence

Offence category
Firearm

%
Other weapon

%
Weapon n.f.d.(b)

%
Total weapons

%
No weapon

%
Total

%

1999

Homicide
-Murder
17.8
43.9
2.0
63.7
36.3
100.0
-Attempted murder
31.6
47.8
-
79.3
20.7
100.0
-Manslaughter
2.6
5.1
2.60
10.3
89.7
100.0
Assault
0.5
10.3
0.4
11.2
88.8
100.0
Sexual assault
0.2
1.7
-
2.0
98.0
100.0
Kidnapping/abduction
7.9
15.1
0.4
23.3
76.7
100.0
Robbery
6.3
31.7
3.7
41.8
58.2
100.0

1998

Homicide
-Murder
18.9
49.1
3.2
71.2
28.8
100.0
-Attempted murder
19.4
64.3
0.5
84.2
15.8
100.0
Robbery
8.0
33.0
4.3
45.6
54.4
100.0

(a) Victims of armed robbery refers to individual persons or organisations. All other offence categories used in this table refer to individual persons.
(b) No further details.

Source: Recorded Crime, Australia, 1998 (4510.0); Recorded Crime, Australia, 1999 (4510.0).






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