1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2007   
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Contents >> Crime and Justice >> Most serious offence

MOST SERIOUS OFFENCE

At 30 June 2005, six offences accounted for just over 70% of sentenced prisoners: acts intended to cause injury (15%); unlawful entry with intent (13%); sexual assault and related offences (12%); robbery/extortion and related offences (11%); homicide and related offences (10%) and illicit drug and related offences (10%) (table 11.39).


11.39 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By most serious offence - 30 June 2005
Males
Females
Persons
Homicide and related offences
1,900
137
2,037
Acts intended to cause injury
2,847
159
3,006
Sexual assault and related offences
2,341
20
2,361
Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons
319
22
341
Abduction and related offences
126
11
137
Robbery, extortion and related offences
2,090
85
2,175
Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter
2,414
129
2,543
Theft and related offences
1,048
143
1,191
Deception and related offences
524
190
714
Illicit drug offences
1,844
176
2,020
Weapons and explosives offences
145
-
145
Property damage and environmental pollution
188
10
198
Public order offences
213
11
224
Road traffic and motor vehicle regulatory offences
1,184
51
1,235
Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations
1,598
148
1,746
Miscellaneous offences
138
9
147
Total
18,919
1,301
20,220
Source: Prisoners in Australia, 2005 (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 (12% of men and 2% of women and 11% of men and 7% of women respectively). Women were more likely to be in prison for deception and related offences (15% of women, 3% of men), and illicit drug offences (14% of women, 10% of men) (graph 11.40).


11.40 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By selected most serious offence - 30 June 2005 11.40 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By selected most serioud offence - 30 June 2005


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 2005 the average aggregate sentence length for all prisoners sentenced to a specific term was 58.2 months.

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 2005 was 40.8 months (graph 11.41).

11.41 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By average sentence length - 30 June 2005 11.41 SENTENCED PRISONERS, By average sentence length - 30 June 2005



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