Aim: To describe trends in Indigenous arrest rates in New South Wales for property and violent offences.

Method: Descriptive analysis of overall and age-specific trends for property and violent crime.

Results: Over the last 15 years in NSW the rate of Indigenous arrest for violent offences has declined by nearly 37 per cent (36.81%), while the rate of Indigenous arrest for property crime has declined by almost 33 per cent (32.95%). The falls are apparent for both males and females but are most pronounced among Indigenous arrests for violent crime for males aged 15-19 (down 55.96%) and those aged 20-24 (down 58.44%).

Conclusion: If these trends continue, rates of Indigenous imprisonment may stabilize or grow less rapidly than in the past few years.