http://news.com.au/common/story_page...5E1702,00.html
Murder rate up 20 per cent
THE number of murders in Australia jumped by 20 per cent last year, with babies aged under one year the most common victims.
New figures released today by the Australian Institute of Criminology also showed a dramatic 25 per cent drop in the number of people killed by guns in the 2001-02 financial year.
The National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) annual report found the number of homicides in Australia had increased by 64 people, or 20 per cent, from 317 deaths in 2000-01 to 381 last year.
Multiple killings jumped to 21 last financial year compared with seven the previous year.
Six of the 21 multiple victim incidents involved the deaths of three people, while 15 incidents involved two victims.