QUEENSLAND

DEFENDANTS FINALISED

Queensland’s Criminal Courts finalised 174,987 defendants in 2015–16, an increase of 2% (2,620) compared with 2014–15. This is compared to an increase of 3% (14,592) in the number of defendants finalised nationally. (Tables 1 and 23)


Defendants finalised in Queensland accounted for 29% of defendants finalised in Australian state and territory criminal courts in 2015–16, and represented the largest contributor to the national total. (Table 2)

In contrast, Queensland accounted for 24% of offenders proceeded against by police in Australia in 2015–16, the second highest of the states and territories after New South Wales (30%). Queensland makes relatively greater use of court actions than any other states and territories across the majority of offence categories. (Tables 6 and 26-31 in the 2015–16 issue of Recorded Crime – Offenders, Australia (cat. no. 4519.0))

PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

The three most common principal offences for defendants finalised in Queensland in 2015–16 were:

• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (33% or 58,303);
• Illicit drug offences (14% or 25,158); and
• Offences against justice procedures, government security and government operations (11% or 19,490). (Table 23)

Queensland accounted for 40% of the 63,541 defendants finalised nationally for Illicit drug offences, more than any other state or territory. (Table 2)


The largest movements in the number of defendants finalised between 2014–15 and 2015–16 occurred for the following principal offences:

• Public order offences, which decreased by 25% (4,757), compared to a national decrease of 17% (6,621);
• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences, which increased by 8% (4,086), compared to a national increase of 5% (10,898); and
• Illicit drug offences, which increased by 5% (1,188), compared to a national increase of 7% (4,200). (Table 23)

The increase in the number of defendants finalised for Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences in Queensland was driven by a rise in defendants charged with drug-driving offences under Section 79(2AA) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. As noted in the Queensland Police Service Annual Statistical Review, the number of roadside drug tests conducted increased in 2015–16.

SEX

In 2015–16, of all defendants finalised in Queensland:

• 74% (129,595) were male;
• 25% (44,175) were female; and
• Less than 1% (589) were organisations. (Table 2)

The increase in the number of female defendants finalised was greater than that of male defendants. The number of female defendants finalised increased by 6% (2,313) compared with 2014–15, while the number of male defendants finalised increased by less than 1% (586) over the same period. (Table 23)

The number of female offenders increased by 7% (1,641), while the number of male offenders decreased by 2% (1,392) over the same time period. (Table 10 in the 2015–16 issue of Recorded Crime – Offenders, Australia (cat. no. 4519.0))

AGE

The median age of defendants finalised in Queensland in 2015–16 was 30 years, remaining unchanged compared with 2014–15 and similar to the national median of 31 years. (Tables 2 and 23)

The number of defendants finalised aged 10-19 years and 20-24 years fell by 4% (890) and 3% (1,120) respectively, while numbers in the older age groups increased. The largest increase occurred in the number of defendants finalised aged 35-39 years (7% or 1,320). (Table 2 in the 2015–16 and 2014–15 issues)

INDIGENOUS STATUS

In 2015–16, defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander represented 22% (23,938) of all defendants finalised in Queensland (excluding traffic offences and organisations).

Similar to the previous year, Public order offences were the most common principal offence amongst defendants who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (24% or 5,696 defendants). For this offence type, the number of defendants decreased by 16% (1,114) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants and 30% for non-Indigenous defendants. (Table 12 in the 2015–16 issue; Table 11 in the 2014–15 issue)


In 2015–16, 15% (3,255) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defendants proven guilty received a principal sentence of custody in a correctional institution, compared with 9% (6,249) of non-Indigenous defendants. (Table 12)

OTHER KEY POINTS

In 2015–16:

• Nine in ten (90% or 157,260) defendants were proven guilty. Of those proven guilty (90% or 140,954) were sentenced to a non-custodial order; and
• The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to community service orders was 50 hours, a decrease of 10 hours compared with 2014–15. The median sentence length for defendants sentenced to custody in a correctional institution (9 months) and the median fine amount ($400) remained stable over this time. (Tables 23, 48d, 49 and 50 in the 2015–16 issue; Table 47d, 48 and 49 in the 2014–15 issue)