NORTHERN TERRITORY

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

In 2016–17, there were 11,490 defendants finalised in the Northern Territory criminal courts, a decrease of 1,220 defendants (10%) on the previous year. In contrast, the number of defendants finalised nationally increased by less than one per cent (4,616) over the same period. (Tables 1, 2 and 39)

The rate of defendants finalised was 5,521 per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over. (Table 54)


Defendants finalised in the Northern Territory accounted for 2% of all defendants finalised nationally in 2016–17. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2016–17, the most common principal offences for defendants finalised in the Northern Territory were:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (27% or 3,140);
• Acts intended to cause injury (25% or 2,908); and
• Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (11% or 1,271). (Table 39)

Defendants finalised for Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences decreased by 22% (866) in 2016–17. This was the largest movement by offence type in the Northern Territory since 2015–16.

The number of defendants finalised for Acts intended to cause injury also decreased (down 5% or 146), contrasting with the 7% (4,883) increase recorded nationally over the same period. (Tables 1 and 39)

COURT LEVEL

Of the 11,490 defendants finalised in the Northern Territory in 2016–17:

• 88% (10,153) were finalised in the Magistrates’ Courts;
• 7% (858) were finalised in the Children’s Courts; and
• 4% (478) were finalised in the Higher Courts. (Table 39)

The Northern Territory had a higher proportion (7%) of defendants finalised in the Children’s Courts compared to any other state or territory. (Table 2)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

In 2016–17, there were 10,143 defendants who had their matter(s) adjudicated by the Northern Territory criminal courts, a decrease of 10% (1,182) on the previous year. Almost all (97% or 9,835) of these defendants were proven guilty. (Table 2 and 39)

Of the 9,835 defendants who were proven guilty:

• 8,762 (89%) had entered a guilty plea, a decrease of 9% (891) since 2015–16; and
• 5% (540) were proven guilty ex-parte, a decrease of 34% (278) over the same period. (Table 39)

PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

A custodial sentence was handed down to 48% (4,689) of defendants who were proven guilty in 2016–17. This was the largest proportion of defendants sentenced to a custodial sentence of all the states and territories. Nationally, 13% (67,087) of defendants proven guilty received a custodial sentence during the same period. (Tables 7 and 8)


Of the defendants sentenced to custodial orders in the Northern Territory:

• 81% (3,800) were sentenced to custody in a correctional institution (compared with 66% or 44,296 nationally); and
• 17% (782) were sentenced to fully suspended sentences (compared with 28% or 19,105 nationally). (Table 8)

INDIGENOUS STATUS

In 2016–17, defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander accounted for 75% (5,935) of persons finalised in the Northern Territory criminal courts (excluding traffic offences). This represents a decrease of 7% (418) since 2015–16.

There were 1,530 non-Indigenous defendants finalised in 2016–17, a decrease of 4% (66). (Table 13)

In 2016–17, the most common principal offence for:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants was Acts intended to cause injury (41% or 2,424); and
• non-Indigenous defendants was Illicit drug offences (28% or 434). (Table 12)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2016–17:

• The median age of defendants finalised in the Northern Territory in 2016–17 was 31 years.
• 78% (8,971) 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 3 months and 50 hours for community service orders.
• The median amount given for a fine was $750. (Tables 39, 57d, 58 and 59)