Each year the Australian Bureau of Statistics survey a sample of the New South Wales population to determine the level of crime in the community. Crime victim surveys are useful in establishing the profile of groups likely to be victims of crime as well as giving an indication of the amount of crime occurring which is not reported to the police. The 2004 survey found that:

• In 2004, 7.4 per cent of New South Wales households experienced some form of household crime, this being either an actual or attempted break and enter or the theft of a vehicle. This is a reduction from 2003, when 9.4 per cent of households experienced household crime.
• Break and enter alone affected 3.8 per cent of New South Wales households in 2004, down from 5.1 per cent in 2003.
• In 2004, 1.2 per cent of New South Wales households experienced a motor vehicle theft.
• One parent households were more likely than other household types to experience a household crime (11.4% of one parent households experienced a crime compared with 7.4% of total NSW households ).
• Households in Sydney have a victimisation rate similar to households outside Sydney (7.4% and 7.5% respectively). This is a change from 2003, when Sydney households had a higher victimisation rate than households outside Sydney (9.9% and 8.5% respectively).
• In 2004, 4.5 per cent of persons in New South Wales were victims of a personal crime, this being either a robbery, and assault or a sexual assault. This is the same proportion of people as in 2003.

Victimisation rate for personal crime in 2004, by age and gender
	Victimisation Rate
Age	Males	Females	Total
15-24	9.6	4.2	6.9
25-34	8.0	5.8	6.9
35-44	5.7	4.1	4.9
45-54	3.6	3.0	3.3
55-64	3.6	2.0*	2.8
65 years or over	1.3*	0.7*	1.0*
Total	5.5	3.4	4.5
* figure is subject to a relative standard error rate greater than 25% and should be used with caution

From the above figure it can be seen that:

• Males are more likely to be victims of personal crime than are females. In 2004 in New South Wales 5.5 per cent of males experienced a personal crime compared with only 3.4 per cent of females.
• Elderly people are the group least likely to be victims of a crime against the person. Around one per cent of the New South Wales population aged 65 years or over experienced a personal crime in 2004.
• Young males have the highest rate of personal crime victimisation. Of men aged between 15 and 24, 9.6 per cent experienced a crime against the person in 2004.