WESTERN AUSTRALIA

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

In 2016–17, there were 92,749 defendants finalised in Western Australia’s criminal courts, an increase of 5,702 defendants (7%) on the previous year. (Table 31)

The rate of defendants finalised was 4,157 per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over. (Table 52)


Defendants finalised in Western Australia comprised 15% of the national total in 2016–17. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

More than half of all defendants finalised in Western Australia in 2016–17 had a principal offence of:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (37% or 34,534); or
• Illicit drug offences (14% or 13,029).

The number of defendants finalised for Illicit drug offences has more than doubled in Western Australia over a five year period, from 6,420 defendants in 2012–13 to 13,029 in 2016–17. (Table 31)

Between 2015–16 and 2016–17, defendants with a principal offence of:

• Acts intended to cause injury increased by 22% (1,400); and
• Property damage and environmental pollution increased by 18% (404).

Over the same period, the number of defendants finalised for Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons decreased 11% (603). (Table 31)

COURT LEVEL

Of the 92,749 defendants finalised in Western Australia:

• 92% (85,330) were finalised in the Magistrates’ Courts;
• 5% (4,791) were finalised in the Children’s Courts; and
• 3% (2,632) were finalised in the Higher Courts.

The number of defendants finalised in the Higher Courts increased by 13% (312) which was slightly greater than the national increase (10%). (Tables 1 and 31)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

There were 85,961 defendants adjudicated in Western Australia’s criminal courts in 2016–17. Almost all of these (99% or 85,209) defendants were proven guilty. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

Of the 85,209 defendants proven guilty in 2016–17:

• 91% (77,905) were sentenced to a non-custodial order, most commonly (90% or 70,340) a monetary order; and
• 9% (7,301) were sentenced to a custodial order, mostly (65% or 4,712) custody in a correctional institution.

Western Australia had the highest proportion (83%) of defendants who were sentenced to a monetary order in 2016–17. (Tables 8)


The number of defendants sentenced to a custodial order increased for the third consecutive year in Western Australia (up 11% or 745), to reach their highest levels over a five year period. (Table 31)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2016–17:

• The median age of defendants finalised in Western Australia was 31 years.
• Approximately three-quarters (74% or 68,433) of defendants finalised were male.
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution (excluding those sentenced to life or indeterminate) was 8 months.
• The median sentence length for a community service order was 40 hours.
• The median amount given for a fine was $500. (Tables 2, 31, 58 and 59)