NCJ Number
204782
Date Published
November 2003
Length
220 pages
Annotation
This 2002 annual report offers information on young offenders and the juvenile justice system in South Australia.
Abstract
This volume is one of three published annually about the state of crime and justice in South Australia. Statistics offered in the report cover the period January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2002. The main focus of the report is on the police apprehension of juveniles and subsequent police actions taken; formal cautions administered to youths by police; attendance by juveniles at family conferences; juvenile appearances before the youth court; and juveniles held in custody in the youth training centres. The objectives and operation of the Young Offenders Act 1993 are enumerated in the introduction, followed by a summary of the main statistical findings of the report. Police statistics indicate that during 2002, officers made a total of 7,831 apprehension reports involving young people aged 10 to 17, representing a 4 percent decrease from 2001. Of the 7,831 juvenile apprehensions in 2002, 42.9 percent were the result of an arrest; although among Aboriginal youth, 64.1 percent of apprehensions were arrest-based. Of the Aboriginal apprehensions, 71.1 percent were directed to youth court compared to 47.5 percent of non-Aboriginal apprehensions. Data on family conferences indicate that during 2002 there were 1,700 case referrals finalized by the Family Conference Team and 1,363 discrete conferences held. The majority of cases involved males and people aged 15 and under, and 89.9 percent involved only one young offender. Larceny and receiving was the main offense profile dealt with at family conferences. In 87.6 percent of family conferences in 2002, an agreement was reached. Data on the youth court indicates that the youth court finalized 3,019 cases during 2002, representing a 9 percent increase over 2001. The number of cases resulting in an order of detention was 5.1 percent in 2002, while 7.8 percent received a suspended sentence. During 2002, the state’s youth training centers had 1,222 admissions, 11.2 percent higher than 2001. The overview section provides more narrative description of the statistical data for 2002. Following the overview, sections 2 through 4 provide statistical data in table format regarding police actions, family conferences, youth court, and juveniles in custody. The appendix offers information relevant to understanding the statistical data presented in the report. Tables, figures, appendix