QUEENSLAND
FINALISED DEFENDANTS
There were 172,367 finalised defendants in Queensland in 2014–15. This was the highest number of finalised defendants of any state or territory in 2014–15 and accounted for 29% of the national total. (Table 2)
The number of finalised defendants in Queensland decreased by 1% (1,288) compared with 2013–14. This is compared with a national increase in 2014–15 of 2% (9,015). (Tables 1 and 22)
SEX
In 2014–15, of all defendants finalised in Queensland:
- 75% (129,009) were male;
- 24% (41,862) were female; and
- less than 1% (557) were organisations. (Table 2)
COURT LEVEL
Of defendants finalised in Queensland:
- 93% (161,023) were finalised in the Magistrates' Courts;
- 4% (6,823) were finalised in the Children's Courts; and
- 3% (4,523) were finalised in the Higher Courts.
Compared with the previous year, the number of defendants finalised in the:
- Magistrates' Courts decreased by 1% (1,052);
- Children's Courts decreased by 7% (527); and
- Higher Courts increased by 7% (297). (Table 22)
AGE
The median age of finalised defendants in Queensland was 30 years, below the national median of 31 years.
Young defendants (aged 10–19 years) comprised 13% (22,883) of finalised defendants. This was the largest proportion of young defendants in any state or territory. (Table 2)
INDIGENOUS STATUS
In 2014–15, defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander represented 22% (23,746) of all finalised defendants in Queensland (excluding traffic offences and organisations).
The most common offence amongst defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was Public order offences (29% or 6,810 defendants). In comparison, the most common principal offence amongst non-Indigenous defendants was Illicit drug offences (26% or 20,789).
In 2014–15, 14% (3,070) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants proven guilty received a principal sentence of custody in a correctional institution, compared with 8% (5,680) of non-Indigenous defendants. (Table 11)
PRINCIPAL OFFENCE
In 2014–15, the three most common principal offences for all finalised defendants were:
- Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (30% or 51,946);
- Illicit drug offences (14% or 23,970, the highest proportion of any state or territory); and
- Public order offences (11% or 19,069).
The greatest decrease in the number of defendants finalised in Queensland in 2014–15 occurred amongst those with a principal offence of:
- Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (down 13% or 7,431); followed by
- Public order offences (down 6% or 1,203).
Defendants with a principal offence of Illicit drug offences and Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations experienced the largest increases in 2014–15 (up 19% or 3,850 and 11% or 1,918 respectively). (Table 22)
METHOD OF FINALISATION
Of the 172,367 defendants finalised in Queensland in 2014–15:
- 90% (155,389) were proven guilty. This was the second highest proportion of defendants proven guilty nationally, following Western Australia;
- 7% (11,828) had their charges withdrawn by the prosecution;
- 2% (3,751) were transferred to another court level; and
- 1% (1,300) were acquitted. (Table 2)
DEFENDANTS PROVEN GUILTY
Of the 155,389 defendants proven guilty in 2014–15:
- 84% (130,235) pleaded guilty;
- 13% (19,474) were found guilty ex-parte; and
- 4% (5,679) were found guilty by the court. (Table 22)
PRINCIPAL SENTENCE
Of those defendants proven guilty:
- Nine in ten were sentenced to a non-custodial order (90% or 140,299); and
- One in ten were sentenced to a custodial order (10% or 15,093).
There were 9,976 defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution in Queensland in 2014–15. This represented 6% 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 (18% or 1,797), with a median sentence length of 12 months;
- Illicit drug offences (14% or 1,352), with a median sentence length of 9 months; and
- Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (13% or 1,308), with a median sentence length of 6 months. (Table 47d)
SENTENCE LENGTH
The median sentence length or fine amount for defendants proven guilty and sentenced to:
- Custody in a correctional institution was 9 months; (Table 47d)
- A community service order was 60 hours; and (Table 48)
- A fine was $400. (Table 49)
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