NCJ Number
137471
Journal
Crime and Justice Bulletin Issue: 14 Dated: (March 1992) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1992
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Corrections and court statistics from New South Wales and Victoria, Australia are compared to determine factors associated with the much higher imprisonment rate in New South Wales, despite the similar demographics of the two jurisdictions.
Abstract
New South Wales and Victoria are Australia's two most densely populated and highly urban States. They have similar unemployment rates, proportions of the population aged 15-34, and proportions of single-parent families. However, the inmate population of New South Wales is nearly twice that of Victoria in comparison to the total population. Analysis of the data revealed that the two jurisdictions have similar percentages of convicted offenders given prison sentences, but that more people appear before the courts of New South Wales. This higher volume of cases processed suggests that police in New South Wales are arresting more people than their Victorian counterparts, although the two States have similar levels of policing and per capita spending. A comparison of offenses in the two jurisdictions would indicate whether more serious crimes are committed in New South Wales, but this comparison must await the production of the national crime report. Tables, figures, and 30 reference notes