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1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2006  
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/01/2006   
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Contents >> Chapter 11 - Crime and justice >> Outcomes of police investigations

OUTCOMES OF POLICE INVESTIGATIONS

Statistics about the outcomes of police investigations describe the status of the processes of police investigations that are initiated following the reporting or detection of an offence. At any point in time, the status of investigations can include:

  • not finalised (i.e. were still continuing, were pending or were suspended)
  • finalised without an offender being proceeded against because the reported offence was not verified, the complaint was withdrawn, or the alleged offender could not be proceeded against because of some statutory or procedural bar
  • finalised and an offender was proceeded against by initiating court action or some other form of formal proceeding (e.g. a diversionary conference or a formal caution).

In 2004, nearly two-thirds of the investigations into murder (65%), attempted murder (64%) and driving causing death (62%) had been finalised within 30 days after a victim became known to police (table 11.21). Of those investigations finalised, police were most likely to have proceeded against an offender at 30 days for victims of homicide and related offences: manslaughter (100%), attempted murder (96%), driving causing death (95%) and murder (87%).

The lowest proportions of finalisations at 30 days were for victims of unlawful entry with intent (8%) and motor vehicle theft (11%). However, of those that were finalised, a higher proportion had an offender proceeded against by police ( 80% and 71% respectively).

The highest proportions of investigations finalised where there was no offender proceeded against were for victims of kidnapping/abduction (35%), motor vehicle theft (29%) and robbery (28%).
11.21 VICTIMS OF RECORDED CRIME(a), By outcome of investigations at 30 days - 2004
Murder
Attempted
murder
Man-
slaughter
Driving causing
death
Kidnapping/
abduction
Robbery
(b)
UEWI(c)
Motor
vehicle
theft
Investigation status
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
Investigation not finalised
35.4
35.8
51.4
38.1
63.3
79.6
92.1
89.3
Investigation finalised
No offender proceeded against
8.2
2.3
-
3.2
12.8
5.7
1.6
3.1
Offender proceeded against
56.4
61.9
48.6
58.7
24.0
14.7
6.3
7.6
Total
64.6
64.2
48.6
61.9
36.7
20.4
7.8
10.6
Total
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
(a) For selected offences recorded by police during 1 January-31 December 2004.
(b) Robbery includes both armed and unarmed robbery.
(c) Unlawful entry with intent.

Source: Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2004 (4510.0).


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