QUEENSLAND

TOTAL OFFENDERS

From 2015–16 to 2016–17, the number of offenders in Queensland decreased by 4% (or 4,225 offenders) to 93,237 offenders, the highest decrease across all states and territories for this period.

The offender rate also decreased for this period, by 137 offenders per 100,000 persons, from 2,338 offenders to 2,201 offenders per 100,000 persons. (Table 6)


SEX

In 2016–17, male offenders in Queensland accounted for 74% of offenders in Queensland. This was a decrease of 5% (or 3,355 offenders) from the previous year to 69,238 offenders.

The number of female offenders in Queensland decreased by a similar proportion to male offenders (4%, or 867 offenders). The female offender rate also decreased from 1,181 offenders in 2015–16 to 1,118 offenders per 100,000 females in 2016–17. Despite this decrease, Queensland had the third highest female offender rate across all states and territories in 2016–17 (behind the Northern Territory with 3,408 offenders per 100,000 females, and South Australia with 1,480 offenders per 100,000 females). (Table 15)


PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2016–17, the five most common principal offences for offenders in Queensland were:

• Illicit drug offences (27% or 25,143 offenders)
• Public order offences (17% or 15,480 offenders)
• Theft (15% or 13,780 offenders)
• Acts intended to cause injury (12% or 10,907 offenders)
• Offences against justice (11% or 9,771 offenders)

Offenders with a principal offence of Illicit drug offences has accounted for the highest proportion of offenders in Queensland since 2013–14.

In 2016–17, the number of offenders of Public order offences decreased to reach its lowest levels since the beginning of the time series (15,480 offenders in 2016–17). Queensland had the largest decrease in the number of offenders in this offence division across all states and territories between 2015–16 and 2016–17. The Public order offence division includes a range of offences such as Disorderly conduct, Trespass, Betting and gambling offences, and Offensive conduct (see Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (cat. no. 1234.0) for further information).



The number of offenders with a principal offence of Robbery and extortion offences reached its highest levels for the time series, at 824 offenders in 2016–17.

This was the second highest number of offenders for this offence division across all states and territories in 2016–17, behind Western Australia with 863 offenders. (Tables 6 and 9)


YOUTH OFFENDERS

Between 2015–16 and 2016–17, the number of youth offenders in Queensland decreased by 1% (or 129 offenders) from 12,727 offenders to 12,598 offenders.

Youth offenders in Queensland most commonly had a principal offence of Theft with 556 offenders per 100,000 persons (22% of youth offenders or 2,752). This was the third highest youth offender rate for this offence division behind New South Wales (1,474 offenders per 100,000 persons), and South Australia (1,042 offenders per 100,000 persons). (Table 20)


REPEAT OFFENDERS

In 2016–17, both Queensland and the Northern Territory had the highest proportion of offenders proceeded against 2 times (17%), 3 times (7%), or 4 times (4%) during the reference period across all states and territories for which data were available. (Table 16)


POLICE PROCEEDINGS

In 2016–17, there were a total of 168,913 police proceedings in Queensland. This was a decrease of 3% (or 5,324 proceedings) from the previous year, which was the highest decrease in the number of proceedings of all states and territories.

Court actions accounted for 83% of proceedings (139,661 proceedings) in Queensland, which was the largest proportion of court actions across selected states and territories in 2016–17. Illicit drug offences were the most common principal offence proceeded against via a court action, accounting for 24% of all court proceedings (33,861 proceedings).

Between 2015–16 and 2016–17, the number of non-court actions in Queensland decreased by 6% (or 1,906 proceedings). Public order offences continued to be the most common principal offence proceeded against via a non-court action (since 2010–11), accounting for 39% of all non-court proceedings in Queensland in 2016–17. (Tables 26–32)