VICTORIA

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

Victorian Criminal Courts finalised 115,988 defendants in 2015–16, an increase of 7% (7,154) since 2014–15, compared to an increase of 3% (14,592) in the number of defendants finalised nationally over the same period. (Tables 1 and 19)


Defendants finalised in Victoria accounted for 19% of defendants finalised in Australian state and territory criminal courts in 2015–16. Victoria was the third largest contributor to the national total after Queensland and New South Wales. (Table 2)

Victoria accounted for 18% 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

The three most common principal offences for defendants finalised in Victoria in 2015–16 were:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (41% or 47,580);
• Acts intended to cause injury (13% or 14,529); and
• Theft and related offences (9% or 10,555).

The largest increases in the number of defendants finalised between 2014–15 and 2015–16 occurred for the following principal offences:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences, which increased by 11% (4,631) and contributed to a national increase of 5% (10,898);
• Theft and related offences (17% or 1,540); and
• Public order offences (17% or 460). (Table 19)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

In 2015–16, the number of defendants finalised that were proven guilty in Victoria was 100,924. This represented an increase of 6% (5,955) compared with 2014–15. This was driven by increases in guilty plea by defendant (6% or 4,972) and guilty ex-parte (14% or 1,009).

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16, the number of defendants finalised who had their charges withdrawn by the prosecution increased by 14% (1,681), while the number who were acquitted decreased by 48% (512) over the same time period. (Table 19)


PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

In 2015–16, just over nine in ten (92% or 93,344) defendants proven guilty were sentenced to non-custodial orders, with the remaining 8% (7,585) sentenced to custodial orders.


The number of defendants finalised that were sentenced to non-custodial orders increased by 8% (7,020) compared with 2014–15, while the number sentenced to custodial orders decreased by 12% (1,061) over the same period. (Table 19)

The decrease in custodial orders was attributed to a fall of 79% (1,813) in the number of defendants finalised that were sentenced to fully suspended sentences since 2014–15. The decrease in fully suspended sentences was due to suspended sentencing ceasing to be a sentencing option in Victoria for offences committed after 1 September 2014 in the Magistrates’ Court and 1 September 2013 in the County and Supreme Court. For more information refer to the Explanatory Notes paragraph 81.

This decrease in custodial orders was partially offset by an increase of 12% (705) in the number of defendants finalised that were sentenced to custody in a correctional institution. (Table 8 in the 2015–16 issue; Table 7 in the 2014–15 issue)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2015–16:

• The proportion of defendants finalised in the Magistrates’ Court (94% or 108,699), Children’s Court (5% or 5,292) and Higher Court (2% or 1,999) remained similar to 2014–15; (Table 2)
• Young defendants (aged 10-19 years) comprised of 8% (8,976) of defendants finalised, compared with 10% nationally; (Table 2)
• Victoria had the highest proportion of defendants that were organisations (3% or 3,079) in 2015–16. Almost three-quarters (74% or 86,152) of defendants finalised were male, while 23% (26,759) were female; (Table 2) and
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to Custody in a correctional institution was 4 months and for those sentenced to Community service orders was 100 hours. The median amount given for a fine was $500. (Tables 48d, 49 and 50)