Jun 022011
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has just published the latest edition of Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) with the aim of improving crime and justice statistics. It is a detailed document , comprising 108 pages plus 66 pages of appendices and indexes.
Crimes listed in the huge alphabetical and numerical indexes of categories of crimes include “Killing, unlawful, with intent” (0111), “Tram fare evasion” (0829), “Skateboard riding under the influence of alcohol” (0411) and “Fail to sound audible warning of intended blasting” (1629).
I have searched in vain for any mention of bankruptcy offences or corporate insolvency offences. The nearest categories I could find that might apply to corporate insolvency offences were “Breach of company code legislation (e.g. falsification of register, false advertising)” and “Fraudulent trade or commercial practices”. Both are listed under Division 09 “Fraud, Deception and Related Offences”, in sub-division 093 “Deceptive business/government practices”.
It’s interesting to see the number of offences that warrant special mention, when none is given to, for example, a director’s breach of the law in failing to assist his or her company’s liquidator – which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of $2,750 and imprisonment for 6 months. What does this say about society’s view of what is a crime, and the thoroughness of the way in which we collect and publish crime statistics?
To see the ANZSOC document click here.
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