So for a period in history, many convicts were sent to Australia from Britain due to crowded prisons (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convicts_in_Australia). I have heard a few people say that there is an unusual element of criminality due to Australia's heritage of being a dumping ground for convicts? Do you think this is true, or is it pure silliness?
Hahah. That made me lol. It's great hearing what views are out there. I was aware of Australia's convict identity, but not so much the view of heightened/unusual criminality. In the past it was a taboo if one had a convict ancestor. Now it's like finding a gold nugget, which everyone is proud of. The romanticism of nostalgia I guess. But now into business...
...an estimated 4 million [that's 17% of the Australian population] Australians are related to convicts deported from Britain to Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries, geneaologists say.
But although 2 per cent were guilty of serious crimes such as murder or assault, the vast majority -- 87 per cent of men and 91 per cent of women -- were convicted of minor offences, particularly property crimes. They included stealing fish from a river or pond, embezzlement, receiving or buying stolen goods, setting fire to underwood or petty theft.[
see]
In all honesty, such a position is pure silliness. The last convict was deported from Britain and arrived in Australia in 1868, which is a long time for social, behavioural and economic patterns to change not only for the individual convict, but intergenerationally. Beside such a view which simplifies the present based on the past (if it were even true that criminality was higher in Australia in the past) criminality is by no means an unusual element in Australian society. Of course there's certain suburbs where one ought to expect the worst.
The following two statistics demonstrate that there is nothing unusual (high) about the crime in Australia:
"Note: Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year."
Crime index: Australia, listing, 63
Total crimes per 1000 persons: On a list from 1-81 of the rates of crime per 1000, Australia isn't even listed.
Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population. Figures expressed per million people for the same year: Australia 164th just after France
Then the following statistics identify an average standard of living that does not incline itself towards an unusual element criminality:
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income per capita indicators... [
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Australia is listed 2nd on the HDI.
Australia's Gross National Income (2015) is $65,400 second highest after Norway at $68,400; the 3rd being Switzerland, then the US (although you guys have more members of the wealthiest 1% living in your country [
see] - a lot of richie riches).
So an unusual element of criminality? Complete myth, in my lived experience and statistically. I personally have convict ancestors, and it doesn't inline me towards criminality...
*innocent whistle*
