A rise in drug offences has marred an otherwise marked reduction in reported crime across the board in the ACT, a new report shows.
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The latest Criminal Justice Statistical Profile, which is released quarterly, was tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
The report shows an overall reduction in most crime types in the March quarter compared to the previous year.
Robbery was down 12 per cent, assaults down 10 per cent, and sexual assaults fell by 7 per cent.
Property crime also fell significantly, with car thefts dropping by 23 per cent, property damage down 16 per cent, and burglary and breaking and entering down 4 per cent.
But the good results were accompanied by a 13 per cent rise in drug offences compared to the March 2013 quarter.
Police Minister Simon Corbell welcomed the broad reductions in crime including a significant reduction in alcohol-related violence.
Mr Corbell said police reported a 16.5 percent drop in drunken violence in the past year.
Police had visited or inspected 1356 licensed premises between April last year and March, he said. “This is a very encouraging result in the context of the reforms the government has made to liquor legislation.”