maltreated. Both groups have similar offending rates for violent offences, but maltreated Indigenous males have a much lower offending rate for offences such as breach of domestic violence restraining order (DVOs) and illicit drug offences compared with Indigenous males who were not maltreated. The offending rate for break-ins and theft (termed by criminologists as survival crime) for maltreated non-Indigenous males is only 27% lower than the rate for maltreated Indigenous males. This finding is unexpected given that the latest Northern Territory offending rate for Indigenous males, 16 680 per 100 000 relevant population, is more than nine times the rate for non-Indigenous males, at 1737 per 100 000 relevant population. Additionally, the break-ins and theft offending rate for maltreated nonIndigenous females is higher than that of non-maltreated children in any population group except Indigenous males. Non-Indigenous females generally have a much lower offending rate than any other population group. These results indicate the significance of social inequality (in this case, maltreatment as a child) in explaining differences in criminal justice outcomes between Indigenous and nonIndigenous. Maltreated children are much more likely to re-offend than non-maltreated children. Of those maltreated children who offended, 72% re-offended at least once and 25% re-offended five times or more. In comparison, of the non-maltreated children who offended, 48% re-offended at least once and 11% re-offended five times or more. Similar results were seen within individual population groups. DEFINITIONS The following definitions are used for the purposes of this document. Adult a person aged 18 or older – ANZSOC Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (Australian – Bureau of Statistics) Child a person aged under 18 – Break-ins and theft offences in ANZSOC Divisions 07 and 08 – Maltreated a person who received one or more court issued child protection order – in the Northern Territory Non-maltreated a person who did not receive a child protection order in the – Northern Territory
maltreated. Both groups have similar offending rates for violent offences, but maltreated Indigenous males have a much lower offending rate for offences such as breach of domestic violence restraining order (DVOs) and illicit drug offences compared with Indigenous males who were not maltreated. The offending rate for break-ins and theft (termed by criminologists as survival crime) for maltreated non-Indigenous males is only 27% lower than the rate for maltreated Indigenous males. This finding is unexpected given that the latest Northern Territory offending rate for Indigenous males, 16 680 per 100 000 relevant population, is more than nine times the rate for non-Indigenous males, at 1737 per 100 000 relevant population. Additionally, the break-ins and theft offending rate for maltreated nonIndigenous females is higher than that of non-maltreated children in any population group except Indigenous males. Non-Indigenous females generally have a much lower offending rate than any other population group. These results indicate the significance of social inequality (in this case, maltreatment as a child) in explaining differences in criminal justice outcomes between Indigenous and nonIndigenous. Maltreated children are much more likely to re-offend than non-maltreated children. Of those maltreated children who offended, 72% re-offended at least once and 25% re-offended five times or more. In comparison, of the non-maltreated children who offended, 48% re-offended at least once and 11% re-offended five times or more. Similar results were seen within individual population groups. DEFINITIONS The following definitions are used for the purposes of this document. Adult – a person aged 18 or older ANZSOC – Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Child – a person aged under 18 Break-ins and theft – offences in ANZSOC Divisions 07 and 08 Maltreated – a person who received one or more court issued child protection order in the Northern Territory Non-maltreated – a person who did not receive a child protection order in the Northern Territory
Association-between-criminal-behaviour-and-maltreatment-2016.docx