Criminal victimisation

Note: The data and text for this section is sourced in whole or in part from the following report: Ministry of Social Development (2008), Children and Young People: Indicators of Wellbeing in New Zealand 2008. Wellington: Ministry of Social Development.

Definition

The proportion of the population aged 15 to 24 who were victims of one or more incidents of criminal offending in 2005, as measured by the New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey 2006.

Relevance

Being safe and feeling safe are fundamental to wellbeing. Criminal victimisation can have a significant negative effect on young people’s lives. Surveys of criminal victimisation generally provide a more comprehensive picture of victimisation than official police records, as not all offending is reported to the police.

Current level

In the New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey, 55 percent of young people aged 15 to 24 reported being a victim of crime in 2005.(1)

Young people aged 15 to 24 reported the highest rates of victimisation for confrontational offences. Thirteen percent of young people reported being a victim of a confrontational offence committed by a partner, 10 percent were victimised by someone well known to them and 16 percent by some other offender.