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Victoria’s crime crisis demands honest solutions

1 October, 2025

Victoria is facing a crime wave of alarming proportions.

The latest figures from the Crime Statistics Agency show a 15.7 per cent increase in criminal offences in just one year, with overall offences climbing from 552,000 in mid-2024 to nearly 639,000 by mid-2025. That represents a staggering 36 per cent surge since the end of the pandemic. The numbers are not abstract—they translate into more stolen cars, more violent burglaries, more children carrying knives, and more families living in fear.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect is the role of young offenders. More than 1100 repeat offenders aged between 10 and 17 were responsible for over 60 per cent of home invasions and almost half of aggravated burglaries. Even more troubling, offending among children aged 10 to 14 jumped 11 per cent in a single year. It is not an exaggeration to say Victoria is raising a generation of offenders.

Bail laws are also failing. Almost 10,500 offenders breached bail in the past year, the highest in a decade, while repeat crimes keep climbing. If the justice system cannot enforce its own conditions, public trust is inevitably eroded. Domestic violence, too, has reached record highs with more than 106,000 reported incidents. No community can call itself safe when violence at home is this prevalent.

Yet while the data is shocking, it is also a call to action—not for political point-scoring, but for honest solutions. Stronger laws have a role, but legislation alone cannot undo deep-rooted problems. Social disadvantage, family breakdown, school disengagement, and youth unemployment are clear drivers of crime. When young people find no support, no opportunity and no purpose, crime fills the vacuum.

Victoria needs a two-pronged approach. First, it must restore accountability. Breaching bail cannot be treated lightly, nor can repeat offenders be allowed to cycle endlessly through the system. Communities deserve meaningful deterrence. Second, it must invest seriously in prevention. Mentoring programs, better mental health support, and stronger links between schools, families, and local services can help break the cycle before it starts.

The state government cannot pretend the problem will correct itself. Nor can Victoria Police be expected to shoulder the entire burden. Communities, educators, social workers and lawmakers must align to protect both public safety and future generations.

Crime statistics are more than numbers. They are a mirror held up to society, reflecting not just lawlessness but systemic failure. Victoria must not accept this as the “new normal.” A safer, fairer state is possible—but only if leaders move beyond rhetoric to decisive, balanced action.

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