4519.0 - Recorded Crime - Offenders, 2012-13 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/02/2014   
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RECORDED CRIME - OFFENDERS, 2012-13 - VICTORIA

TOTAL OFFENDERS

    • In 2012-13, there were 87,694 offenders in Victoria, which represented an increase of 7% (or 5,971 offenders) from 2011-12.
    • The (crude) offender rate increased by 6% from 1,671 in 2011-12 to 1,764 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over in 2012-13.

SEX

Between 2011-12 and 2012-13:
    • The number of male offenders increased by 7% (or 4,434 offenders) to 69,250; and
    • The number of female offenders increased by 9% (or 1,485 offenders) to 18,109.

AGE

Between 2011-12 and 2012-13:
    • The median age of offenders increased from 26 years to 27 years; and
    • The number of youth offenders decreased by 4% (or 899 offenders) from 20,589 to 19,690.
PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2012-13, the five most common principal offences in Victoria were:
    • Miscellaneous offences (18%, or 15,691 offenders);
    • Theft (18%, or 15,670 offenders);
    • Acts intended to cause injury (18%, or 15,321 offenders);
    • Public order offences (15%, or 13,481 offenders); and
    • Illicit drug offences (10%, or 8,345 offenders).
REPEAT OFFENDERS

21% of offenders were proceeded against on two or more separate occasions within the year.

POLICE PROCEEDINGS

In 2012-13, the total number of police proceedings increased by 11% (or 12,555 proceedings) from 2011-12.

Court actions increased by 14% (or 7,860 proceedings):
    • Acts intended to cause injury was the most common offence proceeded against by court actions, accounting for 28% of all court actions (or 17,933 proceedings).
Non-court actions increased by 8% (or 4,695 proceedings):
    • Public order offences was the most common offence proceeded against by non-court actions, accounting for 32% of all non-court actions (or 19,566 proceedings).

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2012-13 Victoria had:
    • The highest proportion of male offenders (79%, or 69,250 offenders) of any state or territory;
    • The second highest proportion of offenders with a principal offence of Theft (18%, or 15,670 offenders), after New South Wales (21% or 24,126 offenders); and
    • The second lowest homicide rate (3 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over) after the Australian Capital Territory (2 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over).


For further information, refer to the other chapters of this publication, or contact the National Information Referral Service on 1300 135 070. When reporting ABS statistics, please attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) as the source.