Crime and justice

An estimated 8 million Australians (41%) have experienced violence (physical and/or sexual) since the age of 15, including:

• 31% of women and 42% of men who have experienced physical violence
• 22% of women and 6.1% of men who have experienced sexual violence

From 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2022, Australian prisoners decreased by 6% (2,379) to 40,591.  The imprisonment rate also decreased by 6% from 214 to 201 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

• 8,092 federal defendants finalised in 2021–22, up 2% from the previous year
• Harassment and threatening behaviour remained the most common principal federal offence (56%)
• Most judgements resulted in a guilty outcome (95%)
• Almost one-third of those with a guilty outcome received a fine (31%)

• 41,029 persons were in custody in the December quarter 2022.
• Unsentenced prisoners were up 2% for the quarter (up 275 persons) to 15,515.
• 78,927 persons were serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, up 1% (1,066 persons) from the September quarter 2022.

• 488,936 defendants in 2021–22, down 4% from the previous year

• Traffic offences accounted for a third of defendants (35%)

• Most judgements resulted in a guilty outcome (97%)

• Over half of those with a guilty outcome received a fine (55%)

• Card fraud increased from 6.9% in 2020-21 to 8.1% in 2021-22
• Scam exposure increased from 55% in 2020-21 to 65% in 2021-22
• Scam victimisation rate decreased from 3.6% in 2020-21 to 2.7% in 2021-22

In 2021-22:

• 386,000 persons (1.9%) experienced physical assault
• 441,900 persons (2.2%) experienced face-to-face threatened assault
• 194,100 households (2.0%) experienced break-in
• 374,400 households (3.8%) experienced malicious property damage

In 2021–22:

• there were 369,488 offenders proceeded against by police in Australia, up 3% from 2020-21
• 68,791 offenders were proceeded against for COVID-19 related offences, most were in New South Wales (68% or 46,986 offenders)
• illicit drug offences decreased for the sixth consecutive year to 50,920 offenders

• Sexual assault recorded by police increased by 13% from 2020.
• Most victims of sexual assault were under 18 years of age at the date of incident (61%).
• Property offences have increased in 2021, following decreases in 2020.

• 5.9% of women and 5.6% of men living with disability or a long-term health condition experienced violence in 2016
• The risk of violence was greater for adults with intellectual/psychological disability than those with physical disability

A report on findings exploring potential options to develop national family and domestic violence statistics for correctional services agencies

Identifies the key data items and recording formats required to improve reporting of family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia

Outlines the strategies and actions required to address critical data gaps and improve the evidence base for family, domestic, and sexual violence

Presents statistical conceptual information relating to family, domestic and sexual violence and describes the main concepts, sources and priorities