17:49 AEST Wed Sep 8 20101 day 6 hours 54 minutes agoBy Isabel Hayes
Crime statistics showing a sharp rise in cocaine offences in NSW is down to more arrests, the state government says, but the report's author argues the figures likely also indicate increased drug use.
Don Weatherburn, of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), said a 76.6 per cent rise in arrests for the use or possession of cocaine in the last two years could reflect increased law enforcement, increased crime, or both.
"However, it is pretty clear from the steep rises in cocaine and narcotic use and possession that there has been an increase in drug use in the state," Dr Weatherburn said.
The latest quarterly BOCSAR crime report also shows that in the two years to June 30, 2010, the number of offences in 12 of the 17 major crime categories were stable while the remaining five decreased.
The drug offence figures, which are not included in the major crimes category, also showed possession and/or use of cannabis was up 23.6 per cent and narcotics up 11.9 per cent.
NSW Police Minister Michael Daley said the sharp rise in drug use, particularly cocaine, was a reflection of stronger policing.
"Whilst we can speculate about the use of cocaine ... what we do know is that increased incidents of police vigilance and police work are having a marked effect on the amounts of cocaine and the incidents of cocaine apprehension," he told reporters.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said police knew there would be a rise in the latest drug use figures because the force had been running operations targeting narcotics - particularly cocaine - at concerts, parties and hotels.
"We would expect to see an increase in arrests, otherwise I'd be questioning whether it (police work) was value for money," he said.
While crime rates were even across the state in most major categories, sexual assaults increased in Sydney's eastern suburbs by 51.7 per cent and in outer western Sydney by 38.3 per cent.
Mr Daley said this might be a result of increased reporting rather than more incidents during the time period.
"Historical sexual assaults are recorded in the year they are reported, so we've seen in the last decade a rise in the reports of sexual assaults," he said.
Mr Daley welcomed the positive outcomes in the report, saying some major crime had fallen as a result of a bigger police force and increased productivity.
"Ten years ago ... it was close enough to the fact that all 17 crime categories in NSW were either stable or trending upwards," he said.
"It's essentially the work of the police that has led to these very good crime trends today."
Premier Kristina Keneally said it was "no accident" crime rates in the state were falling.
"We have built up in this state with laws, equipment and conditions, the best-equipped the most professional police force in the country and one of the best police forces in the world," she said during state parliament question time.
However, opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher said Mr Daley's account of the crime statistics was "spin" and the rise in drug abuse and sexual assaults needed to be addressed.
"These worrying trends in hard drug use and sexual assault need to be examined at the highest level of government and the appropriate steps taken to tackle them," he said.
