OFFENDERS
There were a total of 375,259 offenders proceeded against by police in Australia during 2009-10. This was a 5% (17,123) increase over the 358,136 offenders that police proceeded against in 2008-09. The rate of offenders dealt with by police in 2009-10 was 1,940 offenders per 100,000 people aged 10 years and over; an increase on the 2008-09 rate of 1,896 offenders per 100,000 people aged 10 years and over.
The number of female offenders increased by 4,915 (or 6%, to 84,072 female offenders) between 2008-09 and 2009-10, compared with an increase of 12,127 (or 4%, to 290,442 male offenders) in the number of male offenders. Males accounted for more than three out of every four offenders (77%) in 2009-10.
Repeat offenders
The following analysis on repeat offenders is based on the aggregate data for all jurisdictions, except Western Australia. National data are not available for police proceedings counts. For more information see Explanatory Notes paragraph 44.
The majority of offenders (75%) were proceeded against by police only once during 2009-10, with a further 14% of offenders proceeded against on two occasions and 5% on three occasions. Three percent of offenders had been proceeded against on five or more separate occasions during 2009-10. These proportions were very similar to those in 2008-09. There were proportionally more male offenders than female offenders who were proceeded against on two or more occasions during 2009-10; 26% compared to 22% respectively.
Offenders, Number of times proceeded against by sex
- combined selected states and territories(a)
Offenders aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years had the highest average number of times proceeded against by police, both at 1.7 times per offender. After this age group, the average number of times that an offender was proceeded against by police during 2009-10 generally decreased as an offender's age increased. Offenders aged 65 years and over had the lowest average number of times proceeded against by police, at 1.1 times per offender.
Offenders, Average number of times proceeded against by age
- combined selected states and territories(a)
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