SOUTH AUSTRALIA

TOTAL OFFENDERS

In 2016–17, there were 49,316 offenders proceeded against by police in South Australia. South Australia had the second highest rate of offenders across all states and territories at 3,265 offenders per 100,000 persons, behind the Northern Territory (5,709 offenders per 100,000 persons). (Table 6)


SEX

In South Australia, males accounted for 77% of offenders in 2016–17. Since 2015–16, the number of male offenders decreased by 2% (or 682 offenders) to 37,821 offenders in 2016–17.

The male offender rate for the reference period was 5,087 offenders per 100,000 males, which was the second highest rate of male offenders behind the Northern Territory (7,866 offenders per 100,000 males).

The number of female offenders reached their highest levels since the beginning of the time series in 2008–09, with 11,351 female offenders in 2016–17. This was a 2% (262 offenders) increase from 2015–16.

South Australia also recorded the second highest female offender rate across all states and territories (1,480 offenders per 100,000 females), behind the Northern Territory (3,408 offenders per 100,000 females). (Tables 10 and 15)


PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

The four most common principal offences in South Australia in 2016–17 were:

• Illicit drug offences (33% or 16,111 offenders¹)
• Theft (20% or 9,688 offenders)
• Public order offences (18% or 8,675 offenders)
• Acts intended to cause injury (14% or 6,635 offenders)

The number of offenders proceeded against for Theft increased to its highest levels for the time series (since 2008–09) at 9,688 offenders in 2016–17. This was the highest offender rate for this offence division across all states and territories in 2016–17. In South Australia, Theft offenders were more likely to have a principal offence of Fare Evasion (63% or 6,118 offenders) followed by Other theft (except motor vehicles) (29%, or 2,811 offenders).



Between 2015–16 and 2016–17, the number of offenders with a principal offence of Acts intended to cause injury decreased by 7% (or 460 offenders). The offender rate for Acts intended to cause injury also decreased by 34 offenders to 439 offenders per 100,000 persons in 2016–17. Despite this decrease, South Australia had the second highest offender rate for Acts intended to cause injury, behind the Northern Territory (1,370 offenders per 100,000 persons). (Tables 6 and 10)


YOUTH OFFENDERS

In 2016–17, there were 4,440 youth offenders, which accounted for 9% of offenders in South Australia. This represented a small increase in the youth offender rate from 2,784 offenders in 2015–16 to 2,796 offenders per 100,000 persons. However, since the beginning of the time series in 2008–09 the youth offender rate has declined by 714 offenders per 100,000 persons.

The most common principal offence among youth offenders in South Australia continued to be Theft, which accounted for 37% of youth offenders in 2016–17. (Table 20)


POLICE PROCEEDINGS

In 2016–17, there were a total of 66,423 police proceedings in South Australia.

Between 2015–16 and 2016–17, the number of court actions decreased by 9% (2,986 proceedings), while non-court actions increased by 8% (2,526 proceedings). The change in these methods of proceedings was due to the greater use of Formal cautions and warnings by South Australia Police (see Explanatory Note 62).

In 2016–17, there were 30,017 court action proceedings. Acts intended to cause injury was the most common offence to be proceeded against via this method (25% or 7,517 proceedings).

For the same reference period, there were 36,403 non-court action proceedings. Illicit drug offences remained the most common offence proceeded against via this method (45% or 16,376 proceedings¹). (Table 29)

Footnotes
1. Data may be overstated, see Explanatory Note 64.