SOUTH AUSTRALIA

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

In 2016–17, there were 40,721 defendants finalised in South Australia’s criminal courts, an increase of 548 defendants (1%) on the previous year. (Table 27)

The rate of defendants finalised was 2,682 per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over. (Table 51)


Defendants finalised in South Australia comprised 7% of all defendants finalised nationally in 2016–17. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2016–17, defendants in South Australia were most commonly finalised for:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (29% or 11,624) which increased by 2% (242 defendants) since 2015–16; and
• Acts intended to cause injury (16% or 6,437) which decreased by less than one percent (58) over the same period.

In 2016–17, the largest increase in the number of defendants finalised in South Australia occurred for Illicit drug offences (19% or 623). (Table 27)

COURT LEVEL

Of the 40,721 defendants finalised in South Australia in 2016–17:

• 90% (36,737) were finalised in the Magistrates’ Courts;
• 6% (2,281) were finalised in the Children’s Courts; and
• 4% (1,699) were finalised in the Higher Courts. (Table 2)

The number of defendants finalised in South Australia’s Children’s Courts increased by 9% (190), in 2016–17, which was slightly greater than the 4% increase recorded nationally. (Table 27)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

In 2016–17, 71% of defendants finalised in South Australia had their matter(s) adjudicated, most of whom (99% or 28,573) were proven guilty.

Close to a quarter (23% or 9,286) of all defendants finalised in South Australia, had their matter(s) withdrawn by the prosecution. (Table 2)

PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

In 2016–17:

• 80% (22,867) of defendants proven guilty received a non-custodial order as their principal sentence.
• Monetary orders were the most common (68% or 14,786) non-custodial sentence issued by South Australia’s Magistrates’ Courts. Over half of these (53% or 7,767), were for Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences. (Tables 27 and 29)

The median fine amount dealt by South Australia’s criminal courts in 2016–17 was $878; the highest of all the states and territories. (Table 59)


INDIGENOUS STATUS

In 2016–17, defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander comprised 19% (5,010) of persons finalised in South Australia’s criminal courts (excluding traffic offences). (Table 12)

The most common principal offence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous defendants was Acts intended to cause injury (31% or 1,553; and 23% or 4,661 respectively).

The proportion of defendants who were proven guilty and sentenced to custody in a correctional institution was greater amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants:

• 17% (591) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants; and
• 12% (1,435) of non-Indigenous defendants. (Table 12)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2016–17:

• The median age of defendants finalised in South Australia was 34 years.
• 78% (31,784) of defendants finalised were male, compared to 75% (456,940) nationally.
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution (excluding those sentenced to life or indeterminate) was 5 months and for those sentenced to community service orders was 41 hours. (Tables 2, 57d and 58)