RECORDED CRIME - OFFENDERS, 2014-15 - NEW SOUTH WALES

TOTAL OFFENDERS

• In 2014-15, there were 124,797 offenders in New South Wales, which represented an increase of 4% (or 4,271 offenders) from 2013-14.
• The (crude) offender rate increased by 2% from 1,854 in 2013-14 to 1,892 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over in 2014-15.
• NSW had the highest number of offenders of any state or territory in 2014-15, but only the fifth highest offender rate per 100,000 persons.

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2014-15, the five most common principal offences in New South Wales were:

• Theft (32,947 offenders, or 26%);
• Acts intended to cause injury (27,689 offenders, or 22%);
• Public order offences (17,816 offenders, or 14%);
• Illicit drug offences (16,806 offenders, or 13%); and
• Miscellaneous offences (5,996 offenders, or 5%).

Of all states and territories, New South Wales had both the highest number of offenders with a principal offence of Theft, and the highest offender rate for Theft. It should be noted that 70% of Theft offenders in NSW had a principal offence of public transport fare evasion, and that in most other states and territories public transport fare evasion is not a police responsibility.

YOUTH OFFENDERS

In 2014-15, New South Wales had the highest proportion of youth offenders (25%, or 30,929 offenders). Almost half (45%) of all youth offenders had a principal offence of Theft.

REPEAT OFFENDERS

• In 2014-15, 28% of offenders were proceeded against on two or more separate occasions within the year. The proportion of repeat offenders has steadily increased since the introduction of national data in 2008-09, from 23% to 28%.
• The proportion of offenders proceeded against five times or more rose from 2% (or 2,397 offenders) in 2008-09 to 5% (or 6,444 offenders) in 2014-15.

POLICE PROCEEDINGS

In 2014-15, the total number of police proceedings increased by 12% (or 23,552 proceedings) from 2013-14:

• Court actions increased by 3% (or 2,892 proceedings). Acts intended to cause injury was the most common offence proceeded against by court actions, accounting for 34% of all court actions (or 30,873 proceedings);
• Non-court actions increased by 21% (or 20,654 proceedings). Theft was the most common offence proceeded against by non-court actions, accounting for 54% of all non-court actions (or 65,213 proceedings). In New South Wales, police have responsibility for the state's public transport network, which results in a higher number of offenders of Theft (due to public transport fare evasion) than in other jurisdictions.

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.