4513.0 - Criminal Courts, Australia, 2014-15 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 01/03/2016   
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

FINALISED DEFENDANTS

The number of defendants finalised in Western Australia increased by 8% (6,134) from 81,551 defendants in 2013–14 to 87,685 in 2014–15. This represented the greatest increase across all states and territories. (Table 30)

SEX

In 2014–15, of all defendants finalised in Western Australia:

  • 75% (65,283) were male;
  • 24% (20,963) were female; and
  • Less than 1% (368) were organisations. (Table 2)
COURT LEVEL

Of the 87,685 defendants finalised in Western Australia:
  • 92% (80,683) were finalised in the Magistrates' Courts;
  • 6% (4,864) were finalised in the Children's Courts; and
  • 2% (2,134) were finalised in the Higher Courts.
Compared with the previous year, the number of finalised defendants in the:
  • Magistrates' Courts increased by 8% (6,247);
  • Children's Courts decreased by 4% (203); and
  • Higher Courts increased by 4% (86). (Table 30)
AGE

In 2014–15, the median age of defendants finalised in Western Australia was 30 years. This was slightly below the national median of 31 years.

Young defendants (aged 10–19 years) comprised 11% (9,754) of defendants finalised. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2014–15, the three most common principal offences for all finalised defendants were:
  • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (39% or 34,062);
  • Illicit drug offences (11% or 9,841); and
  • Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (9% or 7,649). (Table 2)
The greatest increase in the number of defendants finalised in Western Australia in 2014–15 occurred amongst those with a principal offence of:
  • Illicit drug offences (up 27% or 2,101); followed by
  • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (up 7% or 2,090). (Table 30)
Defendants with a principal offence of Acts intended to cause injury and Property damage and environmental pollution experienced the largest decreases in 2014–15 (down 5% or 328 and 2% or 49 respectively). (Table 30)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

Of the 87,685 defendants finalised in Western Australia in 2014–15:
  • 92% (81,022) were proven guilty, the highest proportion of any state or territory;
  • 3% (2,759) had their cases withdrawn by the prosecution;
  • 2% (2,031) were transferred to other court levels; and
  • 1% (686) were acquitted. (Table 2)
PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

Of the 81,022 defendants proven guilty in 2014–15:
  • 93% (74,952) were sentenced to a non-custodial order; and
  • 7% (6,070) were sentenced to a custodial order, the lowest proportion of any state or territory.
There were 3,815 defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution in Western Australia in 2014–15. This represented 5% of all finalised defendants proven guilty. (Table 7)

The most common principal offences amongst these defendants, excluding life and indeterminate imprisonment, were:
  • Acts intended to cause injury (20% or 756), with a median sentence length of 8 months;
  • Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter (18% or 697), with a median sentence length of 12 months; and
  • Illicit drug offences (11% or 436), with a median sentence length of 18 months. (Table 47d)
SENTENCE LENGTH

The median sentence length or fine amount for those who were found guilty and sentenced to:
  • Custody in a correctional institution was 9 months; (Table 47d)
  • A community service order was 40 hours, lower than the national median of 80 hours; and (Table 48)
  • A fine was $400. (Table 49)