4513.0 - Criminal Courts, Australia, 2013-14 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/03/2015   
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CRIMINAL COURTS, 2013–14 - WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TOTAL FINALISED DEFENDANTS

In 2013–14, the number of finalised defendants in Western Australia was 81,551. Of these:

  • 61,128 (75%) were male;
  • 18,944 (23%) were female; and
  • 385 (less than 1%) were organisations. (Table 27)
Between 2012–13 and 2013–14, the number of finalised defendants decreased by 1% (1,199 defendants):
  • male defendants decreased by 3% (1,667 defendants); and
  • female defendants increased by 3% (468 defendants). (Table 27)
PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2013-14, the three most common principal offences for all finalised defendants were:
  • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (31,972 defendants or 39%);
  • Illicit drug offences (7,740 defendants or 10%); and
  • Public order offences (7,181 defendants or 9%). (Table 27)
The greatest decreases in the number of finalised defendants between 2012-13 and 2013-14 occurred in the following principal offences:
  • Public order offences (1,882 defendants or 21%) (also representing the greatest percentage decrease);
  • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (883 defendants or 3%); and
  • Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons (624 defendants or 10%). (Table 27)
METHOD OF FINALISATION

Of the 81,551 defendants finalised in 2013–14:
  • 74,599 (92%) were proven guilty;
  • 2,594 (3%) were transferred to other court levels; and
  • 1,811 (2%) were acquitted. (Table 27)
PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

Of the 74,599 defendants proven guilty in 2013-14:
  • 5,784 (8%) were sentenced to a custodial order; and
  • 68,809 (92%) were sentenced to a non-custodial order. (Table 27)
The median sentence length or fine amount for those who received a principal sentence of:
  • custody in a correctional institution was 9 months;
  • a community service order was 45 hours; and
  • a fine was $500. (Tables 44, 45 and 46)
For defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution, excluding life and indeterminate imprisonment (3,549 defendants), the most common principal offences were:
  • Acts intended to cause injury (770 defendants or 22%);
  • Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter (661 defendants or 19%); and
  • Illicit drug offences (394 defendants or 11%). (Table 44)
OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2013-14, Western Australia had:
  • the shortest median sentence length for community service orders (45 hours); (Table 45)
  • the highest proportion of defendants proven guilty (92% or 74,599 defendants); and (Table 2)
  • the lowest proportion of defendants proven guilty that were sentenced to a custodial order (8% or 5,784 defendants). (Table 2)