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Sexual Offending in South Australia

NCJ Number
164919
Author(s)
J Wundersitz
Date Published
1996
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This information bulletin examines the incidence of sexual offending in South Australia and describes the way in which the criminal justice system processes individuals apprehended for such behavior.
Abstract
While much of the public debate on sexual assault in South Australia has focused on the perceived inadequacy of sentences handed down by courts, information contained in the bulletin highlights other points of concern. There is an extremely low reporting rate for sexual offending, with an estimated 75 percent of female victims choosing not to notify police of the crime. Once a sex offense is reported to the police, the proportion of offenses cleared through apprehension is relatively low. For example, less than half of all rape offenses reported during the 1994-1995 period resulted in the arrest or reporting of a suspect. Once brought before the courts, many sex offense cases are either withdrawn or dismissed at the preliminary hearing in the magistrates court. For cases transferred to a higher court for trial, many cases result in either trial-based acquittal or nolle prosequi discharge. Because of these various factors, the proportion of sex offenders who are actually found guilty and sentenced by the courts is extremely low, compared to the real incidence of sexual offending in the community. In recent years, victim support services have been initiated to encourage greater victim reporting to the police and to help victims through the often traumatic court process. More information is required on why the level of sex offense under-reporting is so low and why such cases drop out at particular stages of the prosecutorial process. Appendixes contain supplemental information on main types of sex offenses and on penalties that may be imposed for sex offenders. 23 tables and 5 figures