MEDIA RELEASE
28 February 2018	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)

Figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that 69,902 defendants were finalised for assault in 2016-17, an increase of 7 per cent on the previous year. Three quarters of these defendants were proven guilty.

A person or organisation is classified as finalised when all charges relating to one case against them has been formally completed by the courts.

ABS Director of Crime and Justice Statistics, William Milne said this was “the second consecutive annual increase in defendants finalised for assault and the largest number for this offence type since the series began in 2008-09.”

The number of defendants finalised for breach of violence and non-violence restraining orders has increased for the eighth consecutive year, almost doubling since 2008-09 - from 11,855 to 23,181.

“During 2016-17 defendants finalised for traffic offences decreased by 3 per cent. However, traffic offences remain the most common offence finalised in the criminal courts, comprising 36 per cent of all defendants finalised - 217,622 defendants" explained Milne.

Further information can be found in Criminal Courts, Australia, 2016-17 (cat. no. 4513.0) available for free download from the ABS website: https://www.abs.gov.au/.

Media notes:

• Offences relate to the most serious charge faced by a defendant.
• When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.
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