This is the lowest level of people victimised since tracking began in 2018
According to the Ministry of Justice, the most recent results of the annual New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey (NZCVS) revealed that the percentage of victims of crime has decreased to 28 percent in 2025 from 30 percent in 2018.
In a media release, the justice ministry noted that the latest survey findings showed that 1.2 million adults were victims of crime in 2025.
“This is the lowest level of people experiencing crime since the NZCVS began in 2018,” said Rebecca Parish, the justice ministry’s general manager for sector insights, in the media release. “The result was driven by drops in both personal and household offences.”
The justice ministry highlighted the notable decrease in the following types of crimes in 2025, compared with when the survey commenced in 2018:
“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,” Parish said in the media release.
The justice ministry acknowledged a downward trend in the percentage of adults who were fraud and cybercrime victims since this metric peaked in 2022. However, according to the ministry, with 440,000 such victims last year, the proportion remains high at 10 percent in 2025, up from eight percent in 2018.
In its media release, the justice ministry noted that the most recent survey findings encompass data gathered from October 2024 to October 2025, with 8,008 participants discussing their experiences with crime and victimisation.
The justice ministry noted that a key stories report, to be published in May, will further analyse and contextualise some trends that have emerged.
The NZCVS is a nationwide, face-to-face, sample survey that on from insights from interviews of around 8,000 individuals per year. The survey seeks to capture the country’s actual crime rate by asking households and the people in them about their experiences of crime, whether reported or unreported.
The survey does not cover commercial and retail crime or crimes against businesses. It also does not gather data on crimes against children, drug offences, or homicides.
