4513.0 - Criminal Courts, Australia, 2011-12 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 14/02/2013   
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Contents >> Children's Courts >> Defendants Finalised - Method of Finalisation - Children's Courts


DEFENDANTS FINALISED - METHOD OF FINALISATION

Charges withdrawn by the prosecution

Defendants finalised through charges being withdrawn by the prosecution decreased by 3% from 3,318 in 2010-11 to 3,222 in 2011-12.

For 2011-12, the largest proportions of defendants finalised through charges withdrawn by the prosecution were for the following offences:
  • 29% had been facing charges of homicide (14 defendants);
  • 25% had been facing charges of miscellaneous offences (64 defendants);
  • 21% had been facing charges of sexual assault (123 defendants); and
  • 14% had been facing charges of robbery and extortion (219 defendants).

States and territories with a higher proportion of withdrawn defendants than the national average (10%) were the Northern Territory (22%), South Australia (18%), the Australian Capital Territory (15%) and Victoria (14%). Western Australia (3%) and Tasmania (2%) had the smallest proportion of defendants finalised by charges being withdrawn.

Defendants acquitted

In 2011-12, 1,323 or 4% of defendants finalised in the Children's Courts were acquitted.

For those acquitted, the largest proportion of defendants had the following principal offences: acts intended to cause injury (30%), theft (19%), unlawful entry with intent (11%), property damage (8%) and public order offences (7%).

Graph Image for DEFENDANTS ACQUITTED, Children's Courts, Selected principal offence

Source(s): Criminal Courts, Australia



The states with the highest proportions of defendants acquitted were Tasmania (15%), followed by the Northern Territory (11%), New South Wales (8%) and the Australian Capital Territory (6%). Queensland (1%), Western Australia (1%) and South Australia (less than 1%) had the lowest proportions.

Defendants proven guilty

Defendants proven guilty includes those who plead guilty or were found guilty by the court, including those found guilty ex-parte.

Defendants proven guilty in the Children's Courts accounted for 26,525 (79%) of defendants finalised in 2011-12.

For those proven guilty, the largest proportion of defendants had the following principal offences: acts intended to cause injury (21%), theft (20%), unlawful entry with intent (14%) and traffic, public order offences and property damage (all 8%).

Graph Image for DEFENDANTS PROVEN GUILTY, Children's Courts, Selected principal offence

Source(s): Criminal Courts, Australia



Queensland had the largest proportion of defendants proven guilty (87%), while South Australia had the smallest (59%).

Graph Image for DEFENDANTS PROVEN GUILTY, Children's Courts, States and territories

Source(s): Criminal Courts, Australia





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