AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

Australian Capital Territory criminal courts finalised 4,580 defendants in 2015–16, a decrease of 16% (875) compared with 2014–15. In contrast, the number of defendants finalised nationally increased by 3% (14,592) over the same time period. (Tables 1 and 43)


Defendants finalised in the Australian Capital Territory accounted for less than 1% of defendants finalised in Australian state and territory criminal courts in 2015–16, the lowest of all jurisdictions. (Table 2)

The Australian Capital Territory accounted for less than 1% of offenders proceeded against by police in Australia in 2015–16. (Table 6 in the 2015–16 issue of Recorded Crime – Offenders, Australia (cat. no. 4519.0))

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2015–16, the three most common principal offences for defendants finalised in the Australian Capital Territory were:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (52% or 2,363);
• Acts intended to cause injury (14% or 658); and
• Theft and related offences (6% or 253). (Table 43)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

In 2015–16, of the 4,580 defendants finalised in the Australian Capital Territory:

• 70% (3,208) were proven guilty, the lowest proportion of any state or territory;
• 21% (972) had their cases withdrawn by the prosecution;
• 4% (186) were acquitted; and
• 4% (181) were transferred to other court levels. (Tables 2 and 43)

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16, there were decreases in the number of defendants with the method of finalisation of:

• Withdrawn by prosecution, down 32% (449); and
• Proven guilty, down 10% (362). (Table 43)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2015–16:

• Male defendants accounted for 77% (3,539) of defendants finalised. Female defendants accounted for 22% (989) of defendants finalised;
• 79% (2,534) of defendants proven guilty were sentenced to non-custodial orders while 21% (671) were sentenced to custodial orders; and
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution was 6 months and for those sentenced to community service orders was 100 hours. The median amount given to those who were sentenced to a fine was $389. (Tables 43, 48d, 49 and 50)