The Steering Committee for the Review of Commonwealth/State Service Provision, in its Report on Government Services 2001, estimated that approximately $330 per person was spent by governments on justice. This figure is based on recurrent expenditure and does not include spending by governments on items such as capital works (i.e. new police stations, prisons or court facilities). Of the total recurrent expenditure of over $6b, the majority ($4b) was spent on police services, followed by expenditure on corrective services of over $1b.
Between 1995-95 and 1999-2000 expenditure grew fastest in real terms for corrective services (annual average growth rate of 12%), and most slowly for criminal courts administration (annual average growth rate of 4%).
11.2 GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON JUSTICE(a)(b) |
|
| Justice sector | 1995-96
$m | 1996-97
$m | 1997-98
$m | 1998-99
$m | 1999-00
$m | Growth(c)
% |
|
| Police services | 3,498 | 3,645 | 3,688 | 4,036 | 4,197 | 7.6 |
| Court administration - criminal | 351 | 337 | 363 | 389 | 388 | 4.0 |
| Court administration - civil(d) | 364 | 418 | 420 | 456 | 479 | 11.6 |
| Corrective services(e)(f) | 1,021 | 1,096 | 1,085 | 1,193 | 1,345 | 11.7 |
| Total justice system | 5,235 | 5,495 | 5,555 | 6,074 | 6,409 | 8.4 |
|
(a) In 1999-2000 dollars.
(b) Recurrent expenditure plus depreciation less revenue from own sources.
(c) Average annual growth rate over the period 1995-96 to 1999-2000.
(d) Excludes the costs of probate hearings.
(e) Includes costs of prisoner transport and escort services. For all years, the expenditure on corrective services is the same as that reported in the corresponding Report on Government Services.
(f) Excludes WA community corrections expenditure during 1996-97. NT prison and community corrections did not deduct revenue from own sources between 1995-96 and 1996-97. |
Source: Report on Government Services 2001. |
Print Page