IN THIS ISSUE
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
This publication presents nationally comparable statistics relating to the criminal jurisdictions of the Higher (Supreme and Intermediate), Magistrates' and Children's Courts across Australia, for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. Selected data are also included where available for 2008–09 to 2015–16. Defendants include persons charged with criminal offences for each court level as well as organisations charged with criminal offences for the Higher and Magistrates' Courts. The statistics are based on administrative records held by state and territory agencies responsible for the administration of the courts and describe the characteristics of defendants, including information on the offences, case outcomes and sentences associated with those defendants.
CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE
Publication tables
Information about rates of defendants finalised per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over are available for the first time in this issue (Tables 47–55). Defendant rates are calculated using Estimated Resident Population (ERP) data (derived from Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 3101.0)) for the relevant population or group. Data are included within an additional data cube which presents information on the number and rate of person defendants by sex, age and principal offence for each state and territory (see Explanatory Notes paragraphs 58–59).
A detailed concordance of the 2015–16 and 2016–17 publication tables, as well as a guide to finding data items in the publication tables are available via the Downloads tab.
Experimental Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) statistics
Experimental data about defendants finalised for at least one Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) offence are now available for a two year period (for selected states and territories). Changes in this issue include the expansion of the FDV offence scope (to include ANZSOC sub-division 049 Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons), the inclusion of Queensland data for the first time (included as a technical note in 2015–16) and the addition of a proportion of selected defendants who were finalised for at least one FDV offence within the reference period (refer to the Experimental Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) Explanatory Notes paragraphs 111–130 for further information).
Revisions
Some data for the 2014–15 and 2015–16 periods have been revised within this issue of the publication as a result of changes in South Australia's offence coding and Indigenous status coding in New South Wales. New South Wales’ offence information for 2015–16 has also been revised within this publication. See Explanatory Notes paragraphs 77–78, 88 and 108.
ROUNDING
Proportions and percentages cited in the publication text have been rounded up/down to the nearest whole number.
FURTHER INFORMATION
A list of other ABS publications relating to crime and justice statistics can be found on the Related Information tab.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The ABS acknowledges the valuable contribution of the Board of Management of the National Criminal Courts Statistics Unit, the National Criminal Courts Statistics Advisory Group, the Court Practitioners' Group and the staff of the various agencies that provide the data presented in this publication.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070, or email client.services@abs.gov.au. The ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to us.
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