NON-COURT ACTIONS

Non-court actions comprise legal actions such as informal or formal cautions/warnings, conferencing, counselling such as drug diversionary schemes, or the issuing of penalty or infringement notices, which do not require an appearance at court.

The number of non-court actions increased between 2011-12 and 2012-13 in the following states and territories:

• New South Wales (9,369, or 12%);
• South Australia (6,407, or 38%);
• Victoria (4,695, or 8%); and
• Northern Territory (1,695, or 26%).

Decreases in the number of non-court actions were recorded in:

• Queensland (2,357, or 8%);
• Tasmania (2,178, or 23%); and
• Australian Capital Territory (164, or 9%). (Tables 21 – 27)

Principal offence

Public order offences was the most prevalent principal offence for non-court proceedings for all selected states and territories, except New South Wales and South Australia. Of all non-court police proceedings, Public order offences accounted for:

• 85% (or 6,946 proceedings) in the Northern Territory;
• 57% (or 4,147 proceedings) in Tasmania;
• 48% (or 781 proceedings) in the Australian Capital Territory;
• 40% (or 10,521 proceedings) in Queensland; and
• 32% (or 18,341 proceedings) in Victoria.

The most prevalent principal offence for non-court proceedings in New South Wales was Theft (39%, or 35,502) and in South Australia was Illicit drug offences (55%, or 12,878). (Tables 21 – 27)