NCJ Number
69254
Date Published
1980
Length
59 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ARE PRESENTED ON THE TYPES AND DISPOSITION OF SERIOUS CRIMINAL CASES HEARD IN ADELAIDE MAGISTRATES' COURT; SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST COURT OF SUMMARY JURISDICTION, BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1979 AND JUNE 30, 1979.
Abstract
THE OFFICE OF CRIME STATISTICS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA PRESENTS 37 DATA TABLES ON 4,186 SELECTED SIGNIFICANT CRIMINAL CASES HANDLED IN ADELAIDE MAGISTRATES' COURT DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1979. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OVER 160,000 CASES HEARD PER YEAR BY THE COURT CONSISTED OF MINOR OFFENSES SUCH AS TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENSES NOT COVERED IN THIS REPORT. THE RELATIVELY SERIOUS CHARGES LAID ARE SUMMARIZED IN A COMPREHENSIVE TABLE ACCORDING TO TYPE AND FREQUENCY. CHARGES AGAINST COMPANIES UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT OR OTHER STATUTES COMPRISE 979 OF THE 4,186 CASES; 781 CHARGES INVOLVED COMPARATIVELY MINOR PUBLIC ORDER OFFENSES (DRUNKENNESS, OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR, LOITERING, ETC.). LESS THAN 14 PERCENT OF THE 384 DRUG CHARGES INVOLVED SUBSTANCES OTHER THAN CANNABIS. THE BULK OF THE REPORT CONSISTS OF 36 TABLES WHICH SUMMARIZE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE CASES WERE DISPOSED OF IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1979 AND DETAILS THE OUTCOMES OF CASES ARISING FROM EACH OF A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC OFFENSES. OFFENSES REVIEWED INCLUDE VIOLATIONS UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, DRUG OFFENSES, LARCENY, FRAUD, ASSAULT, FORGERY, PROSTITUTION, FIREARMS OFFENSES, ROBBERY, AND ASSAULT ON POLICE. SPECIAL SECTIONS ARE DEVOTED TO CASES INVOLVING COMPANIES WHICH WERE THE SUBJECT OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AND TO CASES DEALING WITH CHARGES BROUGHT BY COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES. APPENDIXES INCLUDE: 1) A LIST OF OFFENSES EXCLUDED FROM THE SELECTED DATA SUMMARY OF THIS REPORT, 2) A PRINCIPAL OFFENSE LISTING, AND 3) AN OUTLINE OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND RESEARCH SERVICES FROM THE OFFICE OF CRIME STATISTICS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA LAW DEPARTMENT. TABLES AND APPENDIXES ARE PROVIDED.