QUEENSLAND

TOTAL OFFENDERS

Between 2016–17 and 2017–18, the number of offenders proceeded against by police in Queensland decreased by 3% (or 3,115 offenders) to 90,122 offenders. (Table 6)

The offender rate also decreased for this period, by 112 offenders, from 2,201 offenders to 2,089 offenders per 100,000 persons. (Table 6)


PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

Offenders with a principal offence of Illicit drug offences contributed the most to the overall decrease in the number of offenders in Queensland, with a 9% reduction between 2016–17 and 2017–18 (down 2,150 offenders) to 22,993 offenders. (Table 6)

Despite this decrease, Illicit drug offences remained the most common principle offence in 2017–18 for offenders in Queensland. More than one in four offenders proceeded against by police had a principal offence of Illicit drug offences (26%). (Table 6)

In 2017–18, the next most common principal offences were:

• Public order offences (17% or 15,136)
• Theft (13% or 12,097)
• Acts intended to cause injury (12% or 10,826)
• Offences against justice (11% or 9,697) (Table 6)

SEX

Around three in four (74%) offenders proceeded against by police in Queensland were male. In 2017–18, there were 66,949 male and 23,178 female offenders. (Table 9)


YOUTH OFFENDERS

Between 2016–17 and 2017–18, the number of youth offenders in Queensland decreased by 2% (or 294 offenders) from 12,598 to 12,304 offenders - this was the eighth annual decrease. (Table 20)

The youth offender rate also decreased for this period, by 115 offenders, from 2,543 offenders to 2,428 offenders per 100,000 persons. (Table 20)

Youth offenders in Queensland most commonly had a principal offence of Theft, accounting for 20% (2,424 offenders) of the juvenile total. (Table 20)


POLICE PROCEEDINGS

In 2017–18, there were a total of 161,250 police proceedings in Queensland. This was a decrease of 5% (or 7,663 proceedings) from the previous year. (Table 28)

Court actions accounted for 82% of proceedings (132,320 proceedings) in Queensland, which was the largest proportion of court actions across selected states and territories in 2017–18. Illicit drug offences were the most common principal offence proceeded against via a court action, accounting for 24% of all court proceedings (31,183 proceedings). (Table 28)

Between 2016–17 and 2017–18, the number of non-court actions in Queensland decreased by 1% (or 318 proceedings). (Table 28)

Public order offences continued to be the most common principal offence proceeded against via a non-court action (since 2010–11), accounting for 41% of all non-court proceedings in Queensland in 2017–18. (Table 28)