Crimes Amendment Act may impact on crime stats

The new Crimes Amendment Act 2003 is likely to impact on reported crime statistics, says Police Minister George Hawkins.

The Act comes into effect today and updates the Crimes Act 1961 to bring it in line with technological advances and current policing requirements.

Mr Hawkins said the various amendments could impact on recorded crime statistics.

“The main change is an extension to the offence of burglary,” Mr Hawkins said.

“As burglary no longer requires ‘a break’ and now includes the current ‘entering with intent’ offence, there is likely to be an increase in the total number of overall burglaries reported in the crime figures,” he said.

Those convicted of committing burglary are liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.

Other changes likely to impact on crime statistics include:
·the introduction of the offence of ‘taking, obtaining or copying trade secrets’.

·extortion renamed as blackmail and extended to cover the threat of disclosure. This includes threats to cause serious damage to property or endanger the safety of any person.

·The offence of ‘obtaining by deception or causing loss by deception’ replaces false pretences and credit by fraud. Penalties range from three months to seven years imprisonment, depending on the value and nature of the offence.
·New computer related offences including clarification of crimes involving computers and taking or obtaining trade secrets. It is now an offence to access a computer for dishonest purposes, damage or interfere with a computer system, make, sell, distribute or possess software to commit a crime or to access a computer system without authorisation. Penalties range from five to seven years imprisonment.