FEDERAL DEFENDANTS FINALISED

In 2013-14, there were a total of 10,386 defendants finalised in Australia’s criminal courts charged with at least one federal offence. This represented a 0.7% decrease since 2012-13 (69 defendants). (Table 1)



In 2013-14, the following states and territories reported a decrease in the number of federal defendants finalised:

• New South Wales decreased by 6% (211 defendants);
• the Australian Capital Territory decreased by 16% (138 defendants);
• South Australia decreased by 21% (83 defendants); and
• Tasmania decreased by 15% (25 defendants). (Tables 13–20)

In contrast to the national movement, the number of federal defendants finalised increased in the following states and territories in 2013-14:

• Victoria increased by 7% (177 defendants);
• Queensland increased by 7% (142 defendants);
• Western Australia increased by 10% ( 61 defendants); and
• the Northern Territory increased by 2% (2 defendants). (Tables 13–20)

COURT LEVEL

In 2013-14, nine out of ten (90%) federal defendants were finalised in the Magistrates’ Courts (9,349 defendants). (Table 1)



SEX AND AGE

Of the 10,386 federal defendants finalised in Australia’s criminal courts in 2013-14:

• three-quarters (74%) were male (7,646 defendants);
• one in five (21%) were female (2,161 defendants); and
• one in twenty-five (4%) were organisations (452 defendants). (Table 1)

The median age of federal defendants finalised in 2013-14 was 37 years. (Table 1)


PRINCIPAL FEDERAL OFFENCE

The most common principal federal offences amongst defendants finalised during 2013-14 were:

• Abduction, harassment and other offences against the person (26% or 2,656 defendants);
• Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (20% or 2,071 defendants); and
• Fraud, deception and related offences (18% or 1,861 defendants). (Table 2)

Abduction, harassment and other offences against the person

Of the 2,656 federal defendants finalised for Abduction, harassment and other offences against the person:

• 2,652 had a principal federal offence of Harassment and threatening behaviour;
• four in five (84%) were male (2,220 defendants);
• two-thirds (68%) were proven guilty (1,805 defendants); and
• one in four (26%) had their charges withdrawn by the prosecution (685 defendants). (Tables 2 and 4)

The median age of federal defendants finalised for Abduction, harassment and other offences against the person in 2013-14 was 34 years. (Table 3)

Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations

Of the 2,071 federal defendants finalised for Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations in 2013-14:

• 1,701 (82%) had a principal offence of Offences against government operations, n.e.c, which include taxation related offences;
• 68% were male (1,415 defendants); and
• four in five (83%) were proven guilty (1,710 defendants). (Tables 2 and 4)

The median age of federal defendants finalised for Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations was 46 years. (Table 3)

Fraud, deception and related offences

Of the 1,861 federal defendants finalised for Fraud, deception and related offences in 2013-14:

• three-quarters (75%) had a principal federal offence of Obtain benefit by deception (1,391 defendants);
• 44% (819 defendants) were female; and
• three-quarters (76%) were proven guilty (1,409 defendants). (Tables 2 and 4)

The median age of federal defendants finalised for Fraud, deception and related offences was 37 years. (Table 3)


DURATION FROM INITIATION TO FINALISATION

In 2013-14, the median length of time elapsed between the date of initiation and finalisation for defendants finalised for one or more federal offences was 13 weeks; an increase of 2 weeks since 2012-13. (Table 1)

The median duration from initiation to finalisation varied depending on the principal federal offence. In 2013-14, defendants finalised for:

• Illicit drug offences had the longest median duration (27 weeks); and
• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences had the shortest median duration (5 weeks). (Table 5)

METHOD OF FINALISATION

Of the 10,386 federal defendants finalised in 2013-14:

• seven out of ten (72%) had an adjudicated finalisation (7,480 defendants), of which 96% were proven guilty (7,174 defendants) and 4% were acquitted (303 defendants); and
• one-fifth (21%) had their charges withdrawn by the prosecution (2,181 defendants). (Table 4)