MOST SERIOUS OFFENCE

At 30 June 2006, six offences accounted for 70% of sentenced prisoners: acts intended to cause injury (15%); sexual assault and related offences and unlawful entry with intent (both 12%); homicide and related offences, robbery/extortion and related offences, and illicit drug and related offences (all 10%) (table 13.28).

13.28 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By most serious offence - 30 June 2006
	Males	Females	Persons
Homicide and related offences	1 917	150	2 067
Acts intended to cause injury	2 829	187	3 016
Sexual assault and related offences	2 494	20	2 514
Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons	287	19	306
Abduction and related offences	137	9	146
Robbery, extortion and related offences	1 962	82	2 044
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter	2 290	134	2 424
Theft and related offences	981	148	1 129
Deception and related offences	494	141	635
Illicit drug offences	1 863	193	2 056
Weapons and explosives offences	119	-	119
Property damage and environmental pollution	197	19	216
Public order offences	171	12	183
Road traffic and motor vehicle regulatory offences	1 256	58	1 314
Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations	1 709	174	1 883
Miscellaneous offences	136	15	151
Unknown	5	-	5
Total	18 847	1 361	20 208
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
Source: Prisoners in Australia (4517.0).

There were differences in nearly all the types of most serious offences for which men and women were imprisoned. Homicide and related offences were similar for both men and women (10% and 11% respectively). Men were more likely to be in prison for sexual assault and related offences and robbery, extortion and related offences than women (13% of men and 2% of women, and 10% of men and 6% of women respectively). Women were more likely to be in prison for deception and related offences (10% of women, 3% of men), and illicit drug offences (14% of women, 10% of men) (graph 13.29).

Sentence length

Aggregate length of sentence is a measure of the sentences imposed on an offender, sometimes taking multiple offences into account. Average sentence length excludes prisoners who receive an indeterminate type of sentence such as 'life' as well as sentences of periodic detention. At 30 June 2006, the average aggregate sentence length for all prisoners sentenced to a specific term was 59 months (graph 13.30).

The time a prisoner is expected to serve in custody depends upon the sentence originally handed down, the system of remissions and the forms of parole available. Taking into account the earliest dates for release of sentenced prisoners, the average expected time to serve at 30 June 2006 was 41.4 months.

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