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 – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TOTAL OFFENDERS

    • In 2012-13, there were 30,140 offenders in Western Australia, which represented a decrease of 4% (or 1,377 offenders) from 2011-12.
    • The (crude) offender rate decreased by 8% from 1,514 in 2011-12 to 1,401 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 decreased by 5% (or 1,124 offenders) to 22,536; and
    • The number of female offenders decreased by 4% (or 253 offenders) to 7,347.

AGE

Between 2011-12 and 2012-13:
    • The median age of offenders increased from 27 years to 28 years; and
    • The number of youth offenders decreased by 24% (or 1,783 offenders) from 7,405 to 5,622.
PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2012-13, the five most common principal offences in Western Australia were:
    • Acts intended to cause injury (20%, or 6,138 offenders);
    • Illicit drug offences (18%, or 5,420 offenders);
    • Public order offences (12%, or 3,683 offenders);
    • Theft (11%, or 3,187 offenders); and
    • Offences against justice (10%, or 2,998 offenders).

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2012-13, Western Australia had:
    • The second lowest offender rate (1,401 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over), after the Australian Capital Territory (916 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over);
    • The second highest proportion of female offenders (24% or 7,347 offenders) after the Northern Territory (26% or 2,872 offenders); and
    • The highest proportion of offenders with a principal offence of Abduction/harassment (7% or 2,129 offenders). This was just under half the national total (4,428 offenders).

No data are available for police proceedings or repeat offenders in Western Australia. For more information refer to Explanatory Notes paragraph 63.

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.