Dibber dobbers on the rise, Crime Stoppers data reveals
We might like to pride ourselves on being a country of mateship, but new data shows Australians are increasingly prepared to dob in wrongdoers
READING LEVEL: GREEN
We might like to pride ourselves on being a country of mateship with an almost larrikin* approach to authority*, but new research shows we are becoming a nation of dobbers.
Data from Crime Stoppers, the national service for anonymously* reporting crimes and suspicious activities, shows Australians have increasingly dobbed in others to the police during the Covid-19 pandemic.
University of NSW law and justice Associate Professor Catherine Bond said that when the federal government declared a state of emergency in response to Covid, it was enthusiastically* policed by regular people.
Her research showed there were about 313,000 reports made to Crime Stoppers in 2019 before the pandemic took hold. That jumped to about 416,000 reports in 2020 and then spiked again to about 584,000 in 2021.
“During Covid lockdowns, when working from home came into force, people also couldn’t help but notice what their neighbours were up to,” Professor Bond said.
“There were all these new restrictions and people had a lot more time because they were working from home. They could see what their neighbours were doing much more than they usually would.”
The Crime Stoppers data showed 181,000 reports were made online and 235,000 by phone in 2020. In 2021, the number of online reports grew to 296,000 and phone call reports reached 288,000.
Professor Bond said some people felt a duty to report wrongdoers during the pandemic, in a similar way to a heightened* sense of duty felt during war time.
“People could be taking part in this behaviour because, like our ancestors in World War I, we think we’re doing the right thing and are taking the moral high ground*,” she said.
UNSW sociologist* Associate Professor Melanie White said the level of threat people felt at the time influenced decisions to dob.
“When we perceive* potential* harm to our wellbeing or to the wellbeing of those close to us, the question of whether to report wrongdoing or not comes into play,” she said.
Professor White said there were pros and cons* of dobbing. On the negative side, dobbing could undermine* trust within a community and make life hard for the dobber. On the positive side, it could bring about important changes in society.
“Dobbing can be an important mechanism* for social change by pushing values and norms in a new direction,” Professor White said.
GLOSSARY
- larrikin: mischievous but good hearted
- authority: those who make and enforce rules and laws
- anonymously: in a way that prevents someone from being identified by name
- enthusiastically: in a way that shows eagerness and enjoyment
- policed: enforced, made sure people followed the rules and laws
- heightened: increased
- taking the moral high ground: behave in a way that is seen as right and proper while others do not
- sociologist: an expert in human society and the way we behave and live in society
- perceive: they way we notice and understand something
- potential: the possibility of something happening or developing
- pros and cons: advantages and disadvantages
- undermine: cause something to become weaker
- mechanism: something that produces an effect or a purpose to be achieved
EXTRA READING
Dobbing on your mates could be a good thing
QUICK QUIZ
- What is Crime Stoppers?
- Which university is Associate Professor Catherine Bond from?
- How many reports were made to Crime Stoppers in 2021?
- To which other world event does Professor Bond compare the sense of duty felt during the pandemic?
- What positive can come out of dobbing, according to Professor Melanie White?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What do you think?
Do you think that there will be MORE or LESS reports to Crime Stoppers in 2022? Use information in the story to help you write points that explain the reasons for your answer to this question.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship, Personal and Social Capability
2. Extension
The name ‘dobber’ is used to describe somebody who reports a crime. Make up a new name for this that has a more positive feeling or might encourage people to do it.
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.