The number of people facing illicit drug charges in the criminal courts fell 9 per cent to 38,039 defendants in the 2023-24 financial year, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Samantha Hall, head of ABS crime and justice statistics, said: 'The number of people facing illicit drug charges has generally been declining in recent years. Around 20,000 fewer defendants faced illicit drug charges in 2023-24 compared to 2018-19.
'This was mainly due to a drop in drug possession or use offences in court, down 34 per cent from 2018-19.'
There were fewer defendants with illicit drug charges in all states and territories, except in the Northern Territory (up 12 per cent or 38 defendants from 2022-23) and Western Australia (up 8 per cent or 497).
Males accounted for three-quarters (74 per cent) of defendants on illicit drug charges.
Around 1 per cent of defendants on illicit drug charges were aged under 18 years.
Almost all (99 per cent) of those receiving a court judgement on illicit drug charges had a guilty outcome.
Of these guilty defendants, over half (55 per cent or 19,407 defendants) received a fine as their principal sentence. The median amount for fines was $400.
A further 12 per cent (4,246 defendants) were sentenced to a good behaviour order, and 9 per cent (3,145) to custody in a correctional institution.
Nationally, the total number of criminal court defendants for all charges fell by 3 per cent between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
