March 19, 2018
Assaults and illicit drug use were the two most common crimes in Australia last year, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Assault or other acts intended to cause injury accounted for the largest number of offenders (78,391), followed closely by illicit drug use (78,167).
However, the total number of people charged with drug offences decreased for the second year running while the number of assaults remained relatively stable.
ABS Director of Crime and Justice Statistics William Milne said there had been a drop of almost 3000 illicit drug use charges nationally compared with the previous year.
Mr Milne also said most offenders (67 per cent) were charged with possession or use of drugs rather than the more serious offences of dealing, trafficking, or manufacturing.
The ABS found more than seven in 10 drug offences were committed by males, and slightly more than half of drug offenders were under 30 years of age.
Mr Milne said in 2015-16, illicit drug offenses exceeded 83,000, the largest number recorded in the past decade.
However, this had declined in the two years since then.
Mr Milne said the total number of offenders had decreased by between 1 and 6 per cent in most States and territories last year.
The only area which recorded an increase was the Northern Territory, where total offenders rose by 651 (6 per cent)
Between 2016-17 and 2017-18, the number of offenders proceeded against by police decreased in:
- Queensland (down 3115 offenders or 3pc)
- South Australia (down 2909 offenders or 6pc)
- NSW (down 2503 offenders or 2pc)
- Western Australia (down 382 offenders or less than 1pc)
- ACT (down 37 offenders or 1pc)
- Tasmania (down 26 offenders or less than 1pc)
Note: A total offender count for Victoria for 2017–18 was not available.
