Geo – first task
“Inner city entertainment areas in Australian capital cities experience similar types of crime”
Inner city is the Central part of a major city. Inner city often have higher population density areas than other suburbs, with the majority of the population living in apartment buildings and multi floored town houses. An entertainment district is an area in which there are large amounts of pubs, bars, nightclubs and adult entertainment. I created a graph below which identifies inner city suburbs crime and an outer suburbs crime to highlight the increase in crime in the inner city. This is used for the states of Victoria, Queensland and W.A.
Inner city entertainment areas in Australian capital cities experience similar types of crime. In the suburb of Northbridge there was 390 assaults in the year of 2016 compared to an outer city suburb, Cottesloe which had 31 assaults, less than 10% of Northbridge’s total. At night, Northbridge is the entertainment hub of Perth while Cottesloe is a quiet suburb.
Another example of an inner city suburbs is Brisbane CBD which recorded 404 assaults. Brisbane’s theft and robbery was exponentially higher than other inner cities around Australia. This can be blamed on alcohol inlets, population density, vulnerable tourists and lower socioeconomic economic areas around the city.
Melbourne CBD recorded 1597 assaults in 2017 which was large amounts higher than the other business district areas. This is due to its higher population and population density. Higher density leads to people living in cramped quarters, which leads to higher frequency of drunken assaults due to the large amounts of alcohol distributors and high density of population.
It can be seen that inner-city entertainment areas endured decidedly larger reports of crime. Each inner city suburb had large amounts of assaults and thefts and robbery’s which can be blamed on the high amounts of alcohol which leads to reckless behaviour. Also there would be large droves of clueless and vulnerable tourist which can be easily preyed upon by pick pocketers and thieves. The hypothesis is correct in saying that inner city suburbs experience larger rates of crime than outer city suburbs.
Suburb Assaults in 2016 Theft/robbery in 2016
Northbridge WA (inner city) 390 121
Cottesloe WA (outer suburb) 31 69
Brisbane CBD QLD (inner city) 404 2330
Wynnum QLD (outer suburb) 31 153
Melbourne CBD VIC (inner city) 1597 230
Toorak VIC (outer suburb) 45 4
Task 2
“More affluent suburbs in Australian capital cities experience less crime than lower socioeconomic suburbs”
I have based a suburbs socioeconomic status by the Median house price of the suburb and the reported crimes in this suburb for the calendar year. I searched up the wealthier and less wealthier suburbs of the selected states. I also researched the median income for the residents of the suburb and found the data convincing. (statistics for the calendar year of 2016) I have presented the data in a table in which it states median income, median house price and reported incidents in crime for 2016.
Peppermint Grove in Perth had a median income per resident of $130,998, a median house price of $3,450,00 and the total reported crimes listed on the Police WA website in 2016 was 39 incidents of crime. With a very affluent suburb with low crime this was a stark comparison to the suburb of Cooloongup South of the river and further away from the city. Its median income for the residents of the suburb was a significantly lower number with it being less than half of Peppermint Grove’s median income. There was an average of $49,140 of income for the suburb, $298,500 median house price and there was 329 reported incidents of crime for the suburb. There was a exponentially lower reported incidents of crime in the significantly wealthier suburb of Peppermint Grove than in Cooloongup. This can be explained due to the decreased security measures in the lower socioeconomic suburbs than those in the more affluent suburbs. Also, people can be more desperate for money when they have a lower income as they cannot always make ends meet so this causes robberies and theft.
The suburb of Toorak in Melbourne had a median income of $130,988, the median house price was listed at 3.1 million dollars per house and there was 84 reported incidents of crime. Meanwhile, Broadmeadows had a $39,624 median income, a median house price of $595,000 and an extraordinary 562 reported incidents of crime. Toorak endured significantly lower crime rates which can be due to the increased security in affluent suburbs. Wealthier households are more likely to have security cameras, alarms for breaking and entering and less citizens using banned substance and alcohol abuse.
Point Piper in Sydney had 67 reported incidents of crime in 2016 while Aberdeen had 109. Although there wasn’t a huge difference in reported crimes there is in median income and median house price. The median income for Point Piper is $118,352 while Aberdeen has a median income of $118,352. The media house price for point piper was a pricy 2.4 million dollars per house while Aberdeen had a median house price of $262,500. Point Piper is an upmarket suburb which would be a tightly secured community. They recorded a bit more than half of what Aberdeen recorded in incidents of crime. Aberdeen is of lower socioeconomic status so the influx in crimes is to be expected.
It is clear to see that more affluent suburbs have lower rates of crime due to increased security, decreased incidents of drunken disorderly conduct and decreased counts of substance abuse. Residents who may have a lower income may struggle to make ends meet and turn to theft and robbery as a way to fund their life and family. Also many may have not have had a tertiary education which limits the job opportunity and income. Many may also be born into a poverty cycle which they don’t move into a new home and live in the same area their whole life. People who live in a more affluent suburb generally come from a background of wealth and are able to support themselves and their family with ease. Economic stress could lead to families becoming more distant and the relationship between parent and child could become unhealthy. The child could turn to crime as a way for attention or as an unhealthy outlet of stress and unhappiness. Stress could result in reckless and impulsive decisions which burrows deeper into the poverty cycle. Also people who are under economic stress could turn to alcohol or substance abuse as a way to deal with their problems. This society of a low socioeconomic suburb would become the norm resulting in low socioeconomic suburbs staying poor and more affluent suburbs keeping the title of the wealthiest.
Suburb Median income Median house price Reported incidents of crime
Peppermint Grove (Perth) $130,988 $3,450,000 39
Cooloongup (Perth) $49,140 $298,500 329
Toorak (Melb) 102,804 $3,100,000 84
Broadmeadows (Melb) $39,624 $595,000 562
Point Piper (Sydney) $118,352 $2,400,000 67
Aberdeen (Sydney) $43,576 $262,500 109
Task 3
“Higher population suburbs experience more crime that lower population suburbs in Perth”
Higher population in suburbs would equate to higher crime rates as there is a higher density of population, which holds more criminals and opportunity for crime. Low socioeconomic suburbs blocks are often smaller with more apartments which allows higher population, so higher population suburbs are commonly a suburb of low socioeconomic status than suburbs high a lower population. I have presented the data in a table outlining the population and reported incidents of crime for the respective suburbs.
Peppermint Grove has a population of 1636 and had 39 reported crimes. Peppermint Grove is a suburb of high socioeconomic suburb which consists of larger blocks, which equates to less houses and there are also minimal apartment blocks. Also, land in Peppermint Grove would be of a higher value as it is a more exclusive suburb with picturesque surroundings and a close proximity to the beach. Similarly, Daglish is a mid-socioeconomic in which has a population of 1419 and has 19 reported incidents of crime.
Thornlie has a population of 23,153 residents and has a high number of reported incidents of crime 797 incidents. With a higher population of 23,486, Dianella also recorded a high number of crime with 416 incidents. Thornlie and Dianella are both suburbs of low socioeconomic status and a high population density. Due to the poorer residents who are more densely populated crime is more commonplace. Security would also be more lacklustre as many places would have little to no security measures in comparisons to more affluent suburbs.
Suburbs with a higher population are recorded to have higher rates of crime. This is highlighted through the examples of Peppermint Grove, Daglish, Thornlie and Dianella. My hypothesis was correct in saying “Higher population suburbs experience more crime that lower population suburbs in Perth”. This can be blamed on the fact the higher population has a higher population density which is proven to increased rates in crime. Also security measures in the higher populated suburbs would be of a decreased amount due the lower socioeconomic status. In conclusion, suburbs with higher population experience an increase in reported incidents in crime. As the population is lower there are less opportunities for crime as the percent of criminals of the population is lower. Also, convicted criminals who are let out of prison are more likely to move into lower socioeconomic suburbs and live in apartment blocks. This would cause more criminals to be living within the suburb.
Suburb Population Reported incidents of crime
Peppermint Grove 1636 39
Daglish 1419 19
Thornlie • 23,153 797
Dianella 23,486 416