NEW SOUTH WALES

TOTAL OFFENDERS

In 2015–16 there were 128,397 offenders in New South Wales. This was an increase of 3% (or 3,905 offenders) from 2014–15. New South Wales had the highest number of offenders across all states and territories, accounting for 30% of the national total in 2015–16. In comparison, New South Wales represented 32% of the total Australian Estimated Resident Population aged 10 years and over as at 31 December 2015. (Table 6 and Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 3101.0))

The offender rate increased by 2% between 2014–15 and 2015–16, from 1,887 to 1,918 offenders per 100,000 persons. (Table 6)


SEX

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16 in New South Wales:

• The number of male offenders increased by 2% (or 2,030 offenders) to 99,980 male offenders, which was the highest number of offenders since the beginning of the time series in 2008–09.
• The number of female offenders increased by 7% (or 1,886 offenders) to a total of 28,187 female offenders. This was the third largest percentage increase in female offenders for all states and territories behind Western Australia (9%), and South Australia (8%). (Tables 8–15)

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2015–16 the five most common principal offences were:

• Theft (34,659 offenders, or 27%)
• Acts intended to cause injury (29,027 offenders, or 23%)
• Public order offences (18,106 offenders, or 14%)
• Illicit drug offences (17,591 offenders or 14%)
• Offences against justice (6,169 offenders, or 5%)

The number of Theft offenders increased by 5% (or 1,659 offenders) from 2014–15 to 34,659 offenders in 2015–16. This was the largest numerical increase in offenders in New South Wales, and was the highest number of offenders for this division since the beginning of the time series in 2008–09.

Of all states and territories, New South Wales had the highest number of offenders with a principal offence of Theft (34,659 offenders), and the second highest offender rate for Theft (518 offenders per 100,000 persons). It should be noted that 69% of Theft offenders in New South Wales had a principal offence of public transport fare evasion and that in most states and territories public transport fare evasion is not a police responsibility.

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16, the number of offenders proceeded against for Acts intended to cause injury increased by 5% (or 1,243 offenders), to 29,027 offenders. This was the highest number of offenders in this division since the beginning of the time series in 2008–09. (Tables 6–7)


REPEAT OFFENDERS

In 2015–16, 36,703 offenders (29%) in New South Wales were proceeded against on two or more separate occasions within the year.

The proportion of offenders proceeded against five times or more has increased from 2% in 2008–09 to 6% in 2015–16. (Table 16)


YOUTH OFFENDERS

The number of youth offenders in 2015–16 increased by 2% (or 287 offenders) from 2014–15, to 20,051.

Theft had the highest youth offender rate at 1,406 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10–17 years in 2015–16. (Table 19)


POLICE PROCEEDINGS

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16, the total number of police proceedings in New South Wales increased by 8% (or 16,945 proceedings) to 229,283 proceedings. This was the second largest percentage increase in police proceedings for any selected state or territory, behind South Australia (9% increase).

For the same period, New South Wales’ court actions increased by 8% (or 7,249 proceedings) to 98,964 court actions. Court proceedings for Illicit drug offences increased by 11% (or 1,725 proceedings) to 18,031 proceedings, and accounted for the second largest proportion of New South Wales’ court proceedings (18%), behind Acts intended to cause injury (33% or 32,490 proceedings).

Non-court actions increased by 8% (or 9,692 proceedings) in 2015–16. Theft proceedings accounted for 57% (74,116 proceedings) of New South Wales’ non-court 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. (Table 26–31)

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.