Source: New Zealand Ministry of Justice
Headline: New survey shows drop in crime
Fewer people are becoming victims of crime in New Zealand, according to new data published today.
The latest results from the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS) show that in the eight years to 2025, the proportion of victims of crime has dropped from 30% in 2018 to 28% in 2025.
The number of victims in 2025 equates to 1.2 million adults.
“This is the lowest level of people experiencing crime since the NZCVS began in 2018. The result was driven by drops in both personal and household offences,” says Ministry of Justice General Manager Sector Insights, Rebecca Parish.
For the first time since the NZCVS began, the proportion of adults who were victims of interpersonal violence fell significantly below 2018 levels – five percent in 2025 compared to seven percent in 2018.
Burglary was experienced by nine percent of households (184,000) – also a significantly lower rate than in 2018 (12 percent or 210,000 households).
Other household offences, such as trespass and vehicle-related offences, were also at their lowest levels since the survey began.
The proportion of adults who were victims of fraud and cybercrime has been on a downward trend since peaking in 2022, though it remains significantly higher at 10 percent (440,000) in 2025 compared to eight percent in 2018.
The proportion of adults who were victims of violent offences was significantly lower in 2025 (three percent) than in both 2024 and 2018 (four percent).
“While these results are positive, we are also mindful that behind each statistic is a real person, some of whom have experienced crime and victimisation, and assisted us by providing valuable insights through their responses,” Ms Parish says.
Today’s results are for the whole of the NZCVS, while data released in February focused on violent crime. This showed there were 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Full New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey results can be found here.
About the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey
- The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS) is a nationwide, annual, face to face, sample survey that interviews about 8,000 people every year.
- This report is based on data collected between October 2024 and October 2025.
- 8,008 people shared their experiences of crime and victimisation.
- The NZCVS helps assess the true rate of crime in New Zealand by asking participants about both reported and unreported experiences of crime.
- A Key Stories report will be published in May and provide further analysis and context for some of the trends found in this report.
High resolution infographics from the NZCVS are available on request.
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