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1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2008  
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/02/2008   
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Contents >> Crime and justice >> Outcomes of police investigations

OUTCOMES OF POLICE INVESTIGATIONS

Statistics about the outcomes of police investigations describe the status of the processes of police investigations that are initiated following the reporting or detection of an offence. At any point in time, the status of investigations can include:

  • not finalised (i.e. were still continuing, were pending or were suspended)
  • finalised without an offender being proceeded against because the reported offence was not verified, the complaint was withdrawn, or the alleged offender could not be proceeded against because of some statutory or procedural bar
  • finalised and an offender was proceeded against by initiating court action or some other form of formal proceeding (e.g. a diversionary conference or a formal caution).

Table 13.13 shows that, in 2006, 71% of police investigations into attempted murder and 69% of murder were finalised within 30 days of a victim becoming known to police.

The lowest proportions of finalisation at 30 days were for victims of unlawful entry with intent (9%), motor vehicle theft (11%) and other theft (14%).

The highest proportions of investigations finalised where there was no offender proceeded against were for victims of blackmail/extortion (39%), kidnapping/abduction (36%), motor vehicle theft (31%), unlawful entry with intent and other theft (both 21%).

13.13 VICTIMS OF RECORDED CRIME(a), By outcome of investigations at 30 days - 2006
Finalised
Offence
Not finalised
No offender proceeded against
Offender proceeded against
Total(b)
Murder
88
22
170
280
Attempted murder
69
14
158
241
Manslaughter
19
3
15
37
Kidnapping/abduction
442
101
181
724
Robbery
Armed robbery
5 662
217
1 644
7 525
Unarmed robbery
7 680
514
1 561
9 759
Total
13 342
731
3 205
17 284
Blackmail/extortion
257
68
105
430
Unlawful entry with intent
Involving the taking of property
168 648
3 274
11 960
183 922
Other
70 094
1 621
6 171
77 973
Total
238 742
4 895
18 131
261 895
Motor vehicle theft
66 555
2 685
5 856
75 115
Other theft
446 117
14 784
56 196
517 492
(a) Depending on the type of crime, a victim may be a person, a premise, an organisation or a motor vehicle.
(b) Includes unknown outcomes of investigation.
Source: Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia (4510.0).





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