PRINCIPAL OFFENCE

OVERVIEW

"Principal offence" refers to the most serious offence type for which a person has been proceeded against during the reference period. This is determined through the ranking of offences in the National Offence Index (NOI). For details of the Index refer to Appendix 2. For a definition of "principal offence", refer to the Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 13-15.

Nationally, the most prevalent principal offences were:

• Public order offences (74,630 offenders, or 18% of the total);
• Illicit drug offences (71,386 offenders, or 18% of the total);
• Acts intended to cause injury (70,850 offenders, or 18% of the total); and
• Theft (65,021 offenders, or 16% of the total).

There was minimal change in the distribution of the main principal offence types across the offender populations between 2012-13 and 2013-14 (Table 1). The proportion of offenders with Acts intended to cause injury and Public order offences as a principal offence declined, while the proportion with a principal offence of Illicit drug offences and Theft increased.



The largest percentage increase in the number of offenders between 2012-13 and 2013-14 was for the principal offence of Sexual assault and related offences. The number of offenders increased by 19% (or 1,169 offenders), while the offender rate increased from 30 to 35 offenders per 100,000 persons aged 10 years and over. Males make up the majority of offenders in this division, accounting for 93% (or 6,677 offenders) of the total.

SEX

For male offenders, the most common principal offences were:

• Public order offences (19% of the total);
• Illicit drug offences (18% of the total); and
• Acts intended to cause injury (18% of the total).

For female offenders, the most common principal offences were:

• Theft (25% of the total);
• Illicit drug offences (17% of the total); and
• Acts intended to cause injury (17% of the total).

AGE

The median age of offenders varied by type of principal offence (Table 2). The median age was lowest for the principal offences of:

• Unlawful entry with intent (20 years of age);
• Robbery and extortion (21 years of age);
• Theft (24 years of age); and
• Property damage (24 years of age).

The median age was highest for the principal offences of:

• Sexual assault (32 years of age);
• Homicide (31 years of age);
• Abduction and harassment (31 years of age); and
• Offences against justice (31 years of age).