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. 2020;9(1):25.
doi: 10.1186/s40163-020-00135-4. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

Somehow I always end up alone: COVID-19, social isolation and crime in Queensland, Australia

Martin A Andresen  1 , Tarah Hodgkinson  2
Affiliations

Somehow I always end up alone: COVID-19, social isolation and crime in Queensland, Australia

Martin A Andresen et al. Crime Sci. 2020.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected social life. In efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, countries around the world implemented social restrictions, including social distancing, working from home, and the shuttering of numerous businesses. These social restrictions have also affected crime rates. In this study, we investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency of offending (crimes include property, violent, mischief, and miscellaneous) in Queensland, Australia. In particular, we examine this impact across numerous settings, including rural, regional and urban. We measure these shifts across the restriction period, as well as the staged relaxation of these restrictions. In order to measure impact of this period we use structural break tests. In general, we find that criminal offences have significantly decreased during the initial lockdown, but as expected, increased once social restrictions were relaxed. These findings were consistent across Queensland's districts, save for two areas. We discuss how these findings are important for criminal justice and social service practitioners when operating within an extraordinary event.

Keywords: COVID-19; Crime; Exceptional events; Queensland, Australia; Regional.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Queensland Police Service, Districts
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Daily COVID-19 infections, Queensland, 15 January 2020 to 02 July 2020
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Changes in routine activities, Queensland, Google Mobility (2020) data
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, good order
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, mischief
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, assault
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, robbery
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, other violence
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, total violence
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, burglary
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, theft
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, theft of vehicle
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, drugs
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, fraud
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Structural break parameter plots, lockdown and staged relaxation of social restrictions, traffic
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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