In an effort to simplify and provide a number of enhancements to the way offence data is presented, New Zealand Police, Statistics New Zealand and the wider Justice sector are implementing the revised Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (ANZSOC) 2023.
This is the first significant review and revision of ANZSOC since its adoption in New Zealand in 2011.
From 31 July 2025 the ANZSOC classification will:
- See some offences renamed to use language that is easier for our community to understand.
- More offences will now be visible and included in our published data with details about types of assaults, sexual assaults, and burglary.
- Statistics will be republished back to July 2014 to allow for comparisons and trend analysis using the updated classification.
The updated standard ensures that ANZSOC is still fit for purpose - both for Police's changing operational needs, and to improve transparency and visibility of offence data outside of Police.
"The ANZSOC revisions are a positive development. They have been made to provide more detailed groupings of offences, with the aim of improving the transparency and understanding of offence-related data in New Zealand," says Assistant Commissioner Tusha Penny
The move to the revised ANZSOC standard enables a common independent classification for offences and will refine statistics relating to crime by providing comprehensive break downs of different types of offending and by using simpler descriptions.
Assistant Commissioner Penny highlighted one of the key differences is the revision of the category names to use uncomplicated language that is easier for Police staff and our community to understand.
Examples of where changes will occur include, Acts Intended to Cause Injury will be now named Assault, while Unlawful Entry with Intent/Burglary/Break and Enter changes to become Burglary.
The new classification offers greater granularity, there are more detailed break downs of burglary and assault and more offences are now visible and included in our published data.
"Police's currently available suite of statistics will be republished back to July 2014 to allow for uninterrupted comparisons and trend analysis using the updated ANZSOC 2023 standard," says Assistant Commissioner Penny.
The revised ANZSOC 2023 standard was formally adopted on 1 July 2025 and will initiate a period of transition to ANZSOC 2023 in statistical data being released across the sector in the coming months.
