WESTERN AUSTRALIA


TOTAL OFFENDERS

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16:

• The number of offenders in Western Australia increased by 3% (1,322 offenders). This was primarily due to increases in the number of offenders with a principal offence of Theft (up 1,028 offenders or 25%) and Illicit drug offences (up 964 offenders or 11%).
• The offender rate increased by 2% from 1,726 to 1,766 offenders per 100,000 persons. (Table 6)

SEX

Between 2014–15 and 2015–16, male offenders increased by 2% (422 offenders) and female offenders by 9% (835 offenders). This was the largest percentage increase in female offenders for any of the states and territories. (Table 12)


PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

From the beginning of the time series in 2008–09 to 2015–16 the number of offenders decreased by 9% (3,912 offenders). Over this period:

• Acts intended to cause injury decreased by 24% (2,349 offenders)
• Illicit drug offences increased by 47% (3,243 offenders)
• Public order offences decreased by 57% (3,780 offenders) (Table 6)

YOUTH OFFENDERS

Youth offenders comprised 16% (6,466 offenders aged 10–17 years) of the Western Australian offender population in 2015–16. This was the highest proportion of any of the states and territories.

More than half (56%) of the Western Australian youth offender population in 2015–16 had a principal offence in one of the following three divisions:

• Theft and related offences (23% or 1,463 youth offenders)
• Unlawful entry with intent (17% or 1,100 youth offenders)
• Acts intended to cause injury (16% or 1,053 youth offenders) (Table 19)

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.