Crime, Safety and Justice in Vanuatu: A Snapshot

Abstract

The archipelago of Vanuatu comprises over 80 islands. More than two-thirds of its estimated population of 323,000 people live in rural areas, and over half of the population is aged under 25 years. This In Brief summarises some of the main themes emerging from a survey on perceptions of safety and justice in Vanuatu, the Vanuatu-Australia Policing and Justice Services Study (VPJSS), undertaken in 2022 on behalf of the Vanuatu-Australia Policing and Justice Program (VAPJP). Conducted by telephone, the VPJSS survey asked 1016 adults (53.6% men, 46.4% women) in different provinces about their perceptions of safety and the justice sector, including their experience of crime. The survey was supplemented by nine focus groups involving a total of 91 participants. The main aim of the study was to provide the VAPJP with baseline data for planning and future assessments. A research report has been released that includes more detail on the methodology and findings.