NORTHERN TERRITORY

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

Northern Territory Criminal Courts finalised 12,710 defendants in 2015–16, a decrease of 5% (617) compared with 2014–15. In contrast, the number of defendants finalised nationally increased by 3% (14,592) over the same period. (Tables 1 and 39)


Defendants finalised in the Northern Territory accounted for 2% of defendants finalised in Australian state and territory criminal courts in 2015–16. (Table 2)

The Northern Territory accounted for 3% of offenders proceeded against by police in Australia in 2015–16. (Table 6 in the 2015–16 issue of Recorded Crime – Offenders, Australia (cat. no. 4519.0))

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

In 2015–16, the three most common principal offences for defendants finalised in the Northern Territory were:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (32% or 4,006);
• Acts intended to cause injury (24% or 3,054); and
• Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (9% or 1,198). (Table 39)

The largest decreases in the number of defendants finalised between 2014–15 and 2015–16 were for the principal offences of:

• Acts intended to cause serious injury (10% or 352);
• Public order offences (31% or 191); and
• Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (11% or 152). (Table 39)

AGE

The median age of defendants finalised in the Northern Territory in 2015–16 was 30 years, equal lowest of all the states and territories. (Table 2)

In 2015–16, 13% (1,610) of defendants finalised in the Northern Territory were aged 10-19 years, the highest proportion of any state or territory. (Table 2)

This was in line with the proportion of 10-19 year olds in the Northern Territory Estimated Resident Population (13%) as at 30 June 2016. (Australian Demographic Statistics, Jun 2016 (cat. no. 3101.0))

COURT LEVEL

Of the 12,710 defendants finalised in the Northern Territory in 2015–16:

• 88% (11,234) were finalised in the Magistrates’ Court;
• 8% (973) were finalised in the Children’s Court; and
• 4% (502) were finalised in the Higher Court. (Table 39)

A higher proportion of defendants were finalised in the Children’s Court in the Northern Territory than in any other state or territory.

PRINCIPAL SENTENCE

In 2015–16, 43% (4,701) of defendants proven guilty in the Northern Territory were sentenced to custodial orders, increasing by 2% (92) since 2014–15. Nationally, custodial orders increased by 6% (3,667) in the same time period. (Tables 7 and 39)


Northern Territory Criminal Courts sentenced a greater proportion of defendants to custodial sentences than any other state or territory. Nationally, 12% (62,814) of defendants proven guilty were sentenced to custodial orders in 2015–16. (Tables 7 and 8)

Of the defendants sentenced to custodial orders in the Northern Territory:

• 83% (3,892) were sentenced to custody in a correctional institution (compared with 65% or 40,996 nationally); and
• 15% (717) were sentenced to fully suspended sentences (compared with 30% or 18,605 nationally). (Table 8)

INDIGENOUS STATUS

In 2015–16, defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander accounted for 78% (6,353) of all defendants finalised (excluding traffic offences and organisations). This represented a decrease of 6% (413) since 2014–15. (Table 12 in the 2015–16 issue; Table 11 in the 2014–15 issue)


Acts intended to cause injury was the most common principal offence for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous defendants finalised in the Northern Territory in 2015–16, with 41% (2,601) and 25% (406) respectively. (Table 12)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2015–16:

• 77% (9,843) of defendants finalised were male and 22% (2,812) were female;
• 86% (10,960) of defendants finalised were proven guilty; and
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution was 3 months and for community service orders was 50 hours. The median amount given to those sentenced to a fine was $800. (Tables 39, 48d, 49 and 50)