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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TASMANIA

FINALISED DEFENDANTS

The number of defendants finalised in Tasmania increased by 5% (653) from 12,835 defendants in 2013-14 to 13,488 defendants in 2014–15. (Table 34)

Tasmania accounted for 2% of the total number of defendants finalised nationally. (Table 2)

SEX

In 2014–15, of all defendants finalised in Tasmania:

  • 76% (10,218) were male;
  • 24% (3,231) were female; and
  • Less than 1% (47) were organisations. (Table 2)
COURT LEVEL

Of the 13,455 defendants finalised in Tasmania:
  • 92% (12,347) were finalised in the Magistrates' Courts;
  • 5% (735) were finalised in the Children's Courts; and
  • 3% (412) were finalised in the Higher Courts.
Compared with the previous year, the number of defendants finalised in the:
  • Magistrates' Courts increased by 6% (644);
  • Children's Courts decreased by 1% (10); and
  • Higher Courts increased by 6% (24). (Table 34)
AGE

In 2014–15, the median age of defendants finalised in Tasmania was 31 years, which is comparable with the national median.

Young defendants (aged 10–19 years) comprised 11% (1,428) 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 (44% or 5,887);
  • Acts intended to cause injury (14% or 1,877); and
  • Offences against justice, government security and government operations (8% or 1,047). (Table 2)
The greatest increase in the number of defendants finalised in Tasmania in 2014–15 occurred amongst those with a principal offence of:
  • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (12% or 625); followed by
  • Acts intended to cause injury (5% or 92).
Defendants with a principal offence of Public order offences and Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons experienced the largest decreases in 2014–15 (down 13% or 108 and 4% or 22 respectively). (Table 34)
    METHOD OF FINALISATION

    Of the 13,488 defendants finalised in Tasmania in 2014–15:
    • 80% (10,850) were proven guilty;
    • 15% (1,989) were acquitted, the highest proportion of any state or territory;
    • 2% (329) were transferred to other court levels; and
    • 2% (301) were withdrawn by the prosecution. (Table 2)
    DEFENDANTS PROVEN GUILTY

    Of the 10,850 defendants proven guilty in 2014–15:
    • 87% (9,471) pleaded guilty;
    • 8% (829) were found guilty ex-parte; and
    • 5% (551) were found guilty by the court. (Table 34)
    PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

    Of those defendants proven guilty:
    • Four in five were sentenced to a non-custodial order (82% or 8,917); and
    • One in five were sentenced to a custodial order (18% or 1,933).
    There were 770 defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution in Tasmania in 2014–15. This represented 7% 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 (23% or 175), for which the median sentence length was 3 months;
    • Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (19% or 143), for which the median sentence length was 3 months; and
    • Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter (13% or 99), for which the median sentence length was 6 months. (Table 47d)
    SENTENCE LENGTH

    The median sentence length or fine amount for those who were found guilty and sentenced to (excluding those finalised in the Higher Courts):
    • Custody in a correctional institution was 4 months, which is below the national median of 7 months; (Table 47d)
    • A community service order was 50 hours; and (Table 48)
    • A fine was $300. (Table 49)