Residents of Georges River Council local government area feel safer than the average Sydneysider.
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These were the findings from the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures, presented to the council's Community and Culture Committee on December 11.
The NSW Crime Comparison compares Georges River crime levels to surrounding local government areas (LGAs) and NSW as a whole.
The comparison shows that Georges River has similar or lower incidents of crime per 100,000 population than the surrounding LGAs.
Georges River's average LGA ranking for the 13 major crime offences is 94 out of 120 LGAs, according to BOCSAR data.
While BOCSAR provides crime statistics based on reported crime, consideration also needs to be given to factors that can impact the reporting of crime, the council report said.
"Social factors impact on the reporting of crime. This can include understanding what constitutes crime, cultural fear of authority or suspicion of government, or motivation to report crime.
"Different crimes have different reporting rates. Property losses are more likely to be reported, whereas crimes against persons are less likely to be reported.
"According to 2019 data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 82 per cent of women who had experienced domestic violence in a current relationship had not contacted the police," the report said.
Georges River Council LGA is a highly diverse area with 54 per cent of residents speaking a language other than English at home, compared with 36 per cent in Greater Sydney, and of 10.3 per cent of residents unable to speak English well or at all.
Currently 85 per cent of residents believe that Georges River Council LGA is a safe place to live, according to data from the 2023 Micromex Research.
This is 14 per cent above the Micromex NSW metropolitan benchmark (as opposed to regional), meaning residents of Georges River Council LGA feel safer than the average Sydneysider.
Statistics from the council's Community Satisfaction and Wellbeing Survey 2023 highlight community views on some specific safety issues in the Georges River Council LGA.
67 per cent believe living in the Georges River Council LGA gives residents a sense of community, which is an increase from 60 per cent in 2017.
90 per cent of participants were satisfied with Council's graffiti control, 10 per cent higher than the Micromex NSW metropolitan benchmark.
"As Georges River residents already feel safer than residents in most NSW metropolitan LGAs, Council should continue to highlight how safe the area is.
The report is part of the council's initiative to develop a Community Safety Education Program which aims to promote safety and increase perceptions of safety in the community
"If a Community Safety Education Program is not implement, there is a risk that Georges River residents will not be sufficiently informed about community safety issues," the council report said.
"This could lead to a change in the perception of crime in Georges River, which could impact participation in community life. "
