MEDIA RELEASE
19 June 2012	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	83/2012

The number of migration and people smuggling offences finalised in Australia's criminal courts rose from 220 in 2009-10 to 488 in 2010-11, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The most significant increase in this offence group was seen in the higher courts, where the number of offences finalised increased by 514%, from 29 to 178. This was the largest proportional increase in a federal offence in the higher courts.

In the Magistrates' Courts, offences against Commonwealth property had the largest percentage increase. The number of offences finalised was 117 in 2009-10 compared to 231 in 2010-11, an increase of 97%.

Across all criminal courts, the most common principal federal offence remained fraud, deception and related offences (33% of all principal offences), a similar proportion to 2009-10 (34%). This was followed by offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (20%).

More details are available in Federal Defendants, Selected States and Territories, 2010-11 (cat. no. 4515.0).

Media notes:

• Higher Courts include the District Court, County Court and Supreme Court.
• Each defendant is assigned a principal federal offence (most serious offence) if a person is charged with more than one federal offence.
• When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.