Crime in South Australia

{{short description|Overview of crime in the state of South Australia}} {{update|date=February 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}

'''Crime in South Australia''' is prevented by the [[South Australia Police]] (SAPOL), various state and federal courts in the [[judiciary of Australia|criminal justice system]] and the state [[Department for Correctional Services (South Australia)|Department for Correctional Services]], which administers the [[Punishment in Australia|prisons]] and [[remand centre]].

Crime statistics for all categories of offence in the state are provided on the SAPOL website, in the form of rolling 12-month totals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.police.sa.gov.au/about-us/crime-statistics-map|title=Crime statistics|first=South Australia|last=Police|website=www.police.sa.gov.au}}</ref> Crime statistics from the 2017–18 national [[Australian Bureau of Statistics|ABS]] Crime Victimisation Survey show that between the years 2008–09 and 2017–18, the rate of victimisation in South Australia declined for assault and most household crime types.<ref name=2009-19stats>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4530.0~2017-18~Main%20Features~South%20Australia~27|website=Australian Bureau of Statistics|title=4530.0 - Crime Victimisation, Australia, 2017-18: South Australia|date=13 February 2019|access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>

In 2013 [[Adelaide]] was ranked as the safest capital city in the country.<ref name=2013safe />

== Background == One of Australia’s most enigmatic unsolved crimes, the [[Somerton Man|Tamam Shud case]] involves the discovery of an unidentified man on [[Somerton Man|Somerton Beach]], Adelaide.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-07-27 |title=Mystery of Australia's 'Somerton Man' solved after 70 years, researcher says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62314555 |access-date=2025-03-21 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The case remains unresolved, inspiring books like [[Kerry Greenwood]]’s ''Tamam Shud: The Somerton Man Mystery'' (2012) and fictional adaptations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-20 |title=Crime and the City: Adelaide and South Australia |url=https://crimereads.com/crime-and-the-city-adelaide-and-south-australia/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=CrimeReads |language=en-US}}</ref>

Recent years have seen political contention over youth offending. South Australia’s opposition has labeled the situation a “crisis,” citing a rise in Youth Court cases from 4,700 (2019–20) to 5,800 (2022–23).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-03-01 |title=Is SA facing a 'youth crime crisis', and how should it manage young offenders? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-02/sa-opposition-claims-youth-crime-crisis/104993348 |access-date=2025-03-21 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> Opposition spokesperson [[Jack Batty]] advocates for stricter bail laws and increased policing, while the government attributes the spike to COVID-19 disruptions and emphasizes rehabilitation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=Dechlan |date=2025-02-27 |title=Jailing children not the answer to South Australia's youth crime crisis - expert |url=https://nit.com.au/27-02-2025/16520/jailing-children-not-the-answer-to-south-australias-youth-crime-crisis-expert |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=National Indigenous Times}}</ref>

South Australia maintains the age of criminal responsibility at 10, despite calls from advocates and the UN to raise it to 14.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fight to Raise Australia's Age of Criminal Responsibility |url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/the-fight-to-raise-australias-age-of-criminal-responsibility/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Police Commissioner [[Grant Stevens (police officer)|Grant Stevens]] acknowledges challenges with repeat offenders but notes long-term declines in youth crime, rejecting claims of a systemic "crisis."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-02-24 |title=Youth justice system 'flooded' in SA as top cop expresses frustration at repeat offenders |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-24/youth-justice-south-australia-flooded-crimes/104972764 |access-date=2025-03-21 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Crime statistics==

In 2013, Adelaide was ranked the safest in the country with the lowest rate of crime per population.<ref name=2013safe>{{cite web|title=Adelaide's nation's safest city, according to Suncorp study|work=[[Adelaide Now]]|date=15 January 2014|access-date=20 June 2014|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaides-nations-safest-city-according-to-suncorp-survey/story-e6frea83-1226554685466}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/affordable-less-traffic-low-crime-rates-vibrant-cultural-life-thats-adelaide/story-e6frea83-1226450400298|title=Affordable, less traffic, low crime rates, vibrant cultural life ... that's Adelaide|work=Adelaide Now|access-date=20 June 2014}}</ref> {{As of|June 2018}}, crime rates across the state had continued to decrease.<ref name=2009-19stats/> In 2023–24, South Australia recorded 24,745 offenders proceeded against by police, marking a 4% decrease from the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-03 |title=Recorded Crime - Offenders, 2023-24 financial year {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/recorded-crime-offenders/latest-release |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> When adjusted for population changes, the offender rate declined to 1,487 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 and over, down from 1,575 in 2022–23.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=NT tops offender rates, new crime stats reveal |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/abs-crime-reports/1ef0321d-55f3-4bf8-8f24-1e94003ae8e7 |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.9news.com.au}}</ref> This downward trend contrasts with debates over specific categories, such as youth crime, which remain politically contentious.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Australia |first=Premier of South |date=2025-03-07 |title=Youth crime drops as nation-leading knife laws pass Parliament |url=https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-items/youth-crime-drops-as-nation-leading-knife-laws-pass-parliament |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Premier of South Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Notable crimes==

* [[Beaumont children disappearance]] on [[Australia Day]] in 1966 - still unsolved. * [[Disappearance of Joanne Ratcliffe and Kirste Gordon]] in 1973 - still unsolved * [[National Crime Authority|NCA]] bombing on Waymouth Street (1994) - A SA Police member was killed and a lawyer injured. *[[Truro murders]] - Murders committed by a young man just outside the town of Truro * Barossa valley shooting - Police went to arrest a Barossa valley criminal Tony Grosser on various charges, but were shot at. One of the officers, Derrick McManus was "extremely fortunate to have survived" after being shot multiple (14) times and laying wounded for almost three hours until able to be rescued.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-15/barossa-siege-gunman-tony-grosser-to-be-electronically-monitored/8620098| title = Barossa siege gunman Tony Grosser to be electronically monitored for two more years - ABC News| newspaper = ABC News| date = 15 June 2017}}</ref> * [[Snowtown murders]] (1992-1999) - serial killings which occurred mainly in two outer-suburban suburbs of Adelaide, [[Salisbury, South Australia|Salisbury]] and [[Elizabeth, South Australia|Elizabeth]] * [[The Family Murders]] (1970s-mid-1980s) - Believed to involve a series of sexual assaults and murders done by a group of perpetrators, though only [[Bevan Spencer von Einem]] was charged, and he was found guilty of only one of the murders * Murder of Derrance Stevenson (1979) - well known lawyer Stevenson, an associate of Bevan Spencer von Einem, was murdered and his body stuffed into a freezer in his distinctive Parkside home * [[Rundle Street, Adelaide#Rundle Street siege|Rundle Street Siege]] (1976) * Shooting of Dr Margaret Tobin (2002) - Dr Tobin was shot by former colleague, Dr Jean Eric Gassy while walking through Hindmarsh Square. She was transferred to the nearby RAH but died shortly after arriving. * Rodney Clavell was a former prison guard with a long criminal history. He had committed more than a dozen offences including gun and traffic offences. He also held up a shop in the Adelaide CBD, shutting down a whole section of the CBD while talking to police negotiators.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/dangerous-exprison-guard-rodney-ian-clavell-on-the-run-again/news-story/34c23864b63227f89bd8cfa36a5de9a4|title=Dangerous ex-prison guard on the run — again|newspaper=The Advertiser|date=20 May 2014}}</ref> *[[Murders of Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and Khandalyce Pearce]]: In the 2010s, the body of a little girl was found stuffed in a suitcase, next to a major highway. It took police months to identify the body and when they did, the girl was named Khandalyce. Her mother was also murdered but her body was found interstate.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-21/breakthrough-announced-in-wynarka-and-belanglo-cases/6872550?nw=0&r=HtmlFragment| title = Girl in suitcase identified as Khandalyce Kiara Pearce; mother Karlie Jade Pearce-Stevenson found in Belanglo State Forest - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)| website = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]| date = 21 October 2015}}</ref> *Jason Downie murdered three locals in Kapunda, in 2010. As he is not Australian citizen, he will be deported after his sentence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-17743946|title = Jealous Scot Jason Downie jailed for killing Australian girl and parents|work = BBC News|date = 17 April 2012}}</ref> *A ship carrying 400 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted in March 2022. It was the biggest seizure in South Australian history.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-31/sa-police-cocaine-seizure-biggest-in-history/100955668 | title=Police seize 400kg of cocaine 'destined for all major cities in the country' | newspaper=ABC News | date=31 March 2022 }}</ref> *The [[Somerton Man]] was found on the beach in the 1940s. His identity was not known and neither was the cause of death. In 2022, the authorities were able to discover his identity. * In 2017 Roman Heinze, a resident of Salt creek kidnaps a German girl and Brazilian girl. They managed to escape and he is arrested. He is sentenced to 22 years in jail.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fewster |first=Sean |date=11 May 2017 |title=Salt Creek attack: Roman Heinze can now be identified as the predator who kidnapped and terrorised foreign backpackers |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/law-order/salt-creek-attack-roman-heinze-can-now-be-identified-as-the-predator-who-kidnapped-and-terrorised-foreign-backpackers/news-story/6d73b9611cf762ddf3c62fd8e7c2037b |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190105023046/https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/law-order/salt-creek-attack-roman-heinze-can-now-be-identified-as-the-predator-who-kidnapped-and-terrorised-foreign-backpackers/news-story/6d73b9611cf762ddf3c62fd8e7c2037b |archive-date=2019-01-05 |access-date=2026-02-20 |work=The Advertiser |language=en}}</ref>

==Judicial system==

In addition to the various [[Judiciary of Australia|federal courts]], justice is administered by the [[Supreme Court of South Australia]], the [[District Court of South Australia|District Court]], the [[Magistrates Court of South Australia|Magistrates Court]] and the [[South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal]].

==Prisons==

The Department for Correctional Services (DCS) runs the prison service, in South Australia, except for the [[Adelaide Remand Centre]], which is privately managed by [[Serco#Australia|Serco]],<ref>{{cite web | title=Adelaide Remand Centre | website=Department for Correctional Services | date=1 January 2003 | url=https://www.corrections.sa.gov.au/prison/prison-locations/adelaide-remand-centre | access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="Escape">{{cite web | title=Full Prison Management | website=Serco | url=https://www.serco.com/aspac/sector-expertise/justice/full-prison-management | access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> and [[Mount Gambier Prison]], which is run by [[G4S]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Mount Gambier Prison | website=Department for Correctional Services | date=1 January 2003 | url=https://www.corrections.sa.gov.au/prison/prison-locations/mount-gambier-prison | access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref>

===Prisons=== *[[Adelaide Pre-Release Centre]] *[[Adelaide Remand Centre]] – maximum-security prison facility for prisoners [[Remand (detention)|on remand]] *[[Adelaide Women's Prison]] – both sentenced prisoners and those on remand; high, medium and low security female prisoners *[[Cadell Training Centre]] – minimum security prison *[[Mobilong Prison]] – low and medium security prison for men at [[Murray Bridge, South Australia|Murray Bridge]] * [[Mount Gambier Prison]] – the only privately run prison in SA *[[Port Augusta Prison]] – high, medium and low security prisoners including protectees and special needs prisoners; includes some women *[[Port Lincoln Prison]] – low security prisoners are involved in running an agricultural business * [[Yatala Labour Prison]] – high-security men's prison.

==See also==

* [[Punishment in Australia]] * [[SAPOL]] (South Australia Police)

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Fewster |first=Sean |date=2011 |title=The truth about Adelaide's strange and violent underbelly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PLoa7SybmTkC&q=crime+in+adelaide |location=Australia |publisher=Hachette UK |isbn=978-0-7336-2738-5}} * {{cite book |last=Orr |first=Stephen |date=2011 |title=The Cruel City: Is Adelaide the Murder Capital of Australia? |location=Australia |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=978-1-74269-294-4}}

==External links== *[https://www.corrections.sa.gov.au/about Department of Correctional Services (DCS)] *[https://www.police.sa.gov.au/about-us South Australia Police (SAPOL)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crime In Australia}} [[Category:Crime in South Australia| ]] [[Category:Crime in Adelaide| ]] [[Category:Murder in South Australia]]