AGY-469 | Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research

Full description

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) was a statistical and research agency within the New South Wales Attorney General’s Department. It was established in 1969.

The Bureau aimed to identify factors that affect the both the distribution and frequency of crime and the workings of the New South Wales criminal justice system. Accordingly statistical databases on crime and criminal justice within the state were developed and maintained. Through its research, crime trends were identified with information and advice given to the Government and law enforcement agencies.

Issues analysed and reported on include crime 'hot spots', criminal offenders, and the victims of crime. Selected offence profiles for crimes such as assault, breaking and entering, drug trafficking, homicide, robbery, and sexual assaults were compiled. Also detailed statistics of the state’s criminal courts were kept including -
· age distribution of offenders in the criminal courts
· court workloads and delays
· bail
· pleas
· proven offender rates
· appeals
· penalties for principal offences
· apprehended violence orders granted.

The Bureau annually hosts the ANZ Society of Criminology Conference. (1)

In 1993 work by the Bureau demonstrated the feasibility of building a computer simulation model of a criminal justice system and using it to explore the possible impact of different criminal policy options. (2)

By 1987 the Bureau was situated in the Legislative and legal Services Program (3) and the following year in the Legislative and Legal Services Program. (4) In 1989 it was located in the Legislation and Policy Division. (5) By 1993 it was a business unit within the Legal Policy and Reform Program (6) and the following year in the Justice Policy and Planning Program. (7) The Bureau remained in this program until a restructure of the Attorney General's Department in 2001/2002 placed it in the Policy and Crime Prevention Division. (8)

From 1 July 2009 when the Attorney General's Department was abolished the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research became a branch of the new Principal Department, the Department of Justice and Attorney General. (9)

From 4 April 2011 when the name of the Department of Justice and Attorney General was changed the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research became a branch of the Department of Attorney General and Justice (10) which was renamed the Department of Police and Justice on 1 April 2014 (11), then renamed again on 1 July 2014 to the Department of Justice. (12)

The Department of Justice was abolished and replaced by the Department of Communities and Justice on 1 July 2019 with BOCSAR remaining as an agency within the Department. (13)

Endnotes
1. Annual Report of the Attorney General’s Department for the year ended 30 June 1989, p.50.
2. Weatherburn, Don ‘Strategies for Managing Criminal Justice Systems’, Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol.53, No.1, March 1994, p.73.
3. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 1987, pp.116, 128-130.
4. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 1988, pp.89, 96-97.
5. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 1989, pp.33, 38, 50.
6. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 1993, pp.15, 48-49.
7. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 1994, pp.4,15, 23-25.
8. Report of the Attorney General's Department for the year ended 30 June 2002, pp.7, 67-69.
9. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352) cl.20; notified on NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
10. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184) cl.36, NSW Legislation Website, 3 April 2011.
11. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Ministers and Public Service Agencies) Order 2014 (2014 No 233, cl.5, NSW Legislation Website, 23 April 2014.
12. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Miscellaneous Agencies) Order 2014 (2014 No 413) cl.4, NSW Legislation Website, 30 June 2014.
13.Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.10, NSW Legislation Website 29 April 2019.