❓ Ms. Evangel asks how Criminal Code infringement notices will free up police time and reduce court strain. The Minister explains the notices will allow police to issue fines for minor offences, avoiding lengthy processing and court appearances, diverting offenders and freeing up police resources.
AnsweredQoN 223Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CRIMINAL
CODE INFRINGEMENT NOTICES
223. Ms E. EVANGEL to the
Minister for Police:
Before I proceed, I acknowledge on behalf of the member for
South Perth the year 6 students from Penrhos College.
Can the minister please advise how the new Criminal Code
infringement notices introduced by the Liberal–National government will
free up police time and reduce the strain on our courts?
CODE INFRINGEMENT NOTICES
223. Ms E. EVANGEL to the
Minister for Police:
Before I proceed, I acknowledge on behalf of the member for
South Perth the year 6 students from Penrhos College.
Can the minister please advise how the new Criminal Code
infringement notices introduced by the Liberal–National government will
free up police time and reduce the strain on our courts?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Perth for the question and Mr Speaker
for the opportunity to respond.
I was really pleased on Monday to announce the first stage of
implementation for the Criminal Code infringement notices here in Western
Australia. We have introduced these notices to provide a more efficient
policing service in Western Australia and to free up police time and divert
police officers to the front line. The way in which the Criminal Code
infringement notices will work, member for Perth, is that for minor stealing
offences of goods to the value of $500 and for public disorder offences—such
as offensive language, urinating in public and those antisocial behaviour–type
offences—police will have the opportunity to issue an infringement
notice, rather than take the offender back to the station and process them,
thereby involving about three hours' worth of police effort to put all
the information into the system. In addition, if the police have to take the
matter to court, member for Perth, that may mean two officers are tied up
potentially for a day while they wait for an opportunity to give evidence as
part of that court process.
We anticipate that the police will issue approximately 7 300
Criminal Code infringements notices in the first year. That is 7 300 offences
and offenders diverted from the courts, effectively freeing up the criminal
justice system, and of course freeing up police time. Police officers welcome
this initiative. It will reduce red tape. It will take them from behind a desk
and onto the front line. It will allow us to divert offenders from the criminal
justice system and from the courts. The incentive for those offenders, member
for Perth, particularly with the shoplifting offences—the stealing
offences—of up to $500 is that if they pay the infringement notice
within 28 days, a conviction will not be recorded against them. That means that
in the future, if they are looking for a police clearance, for example, they
will not have that offence recorded as a conviction against them, which for
some people who engage in this activity is a big incentive indeed. It is also
an opportunity for us to divert offenders from the justice system and free up
police officer time, as I said previously. This will be rolled out effective in
the Perth CBD as of 30 March, and we will be rolling out the next tranche of
this in other regional settings and settings across the state from 30 June.
for the opportunity to respond.
I was really pleased on Monday to announce the first stage of
implementation for the Criminal Code infringement notices here in Western
Australia. We have introduced these notices to provide a more efficient
policing service in Western Australia and to free up police time and divert
police officers to the front line. The way in which the Criminal Code
infringement notices will work, member for Perth, is that for minor stealing
offences of goods to the value of $500 and for public disorder offences—such
as offensive language, urinating in public and those antisocial behaviour–type
offences—police will have the opportunity to issue an infringement
notice, rather than take the offender back to the station and process them,
thereby involving about three hours' worth of police effort to put all
the information into the system. In addition, if the police have to take the
matter to court, member for Perth, that may mean two officers are tied up
potentially for a day while they wait for an opportunity to give evidence as
part of that court process.
We anticipate that the police will issue approximately 7 300
Criminal Code infringements notices in the first year. That is 7 300 offences
and offenders diverted from the courts, effectively freeing up the criminal
justice system, and of course freeing up police time. Police officers welcome
this initiative. It will reduce red tape. It will take them from behind a desk
and onto the front line. It will allow us to divert offenders from the criminal
justice system and from the courts. The incentive for those offenders, member
for Perth, particularly with the shoplifting offences—the stealing
offences—of up to $500 is that if they pay the infringement notice
within 28 days, a conviction will not be recorded against them. That means that
in the future, if they are looking for a police clearance, for example, they
will not have that offence recorded as a conviction against them, which for
some people who engage in this activity is a big incentive indeed. It is also
an opportunity for us to divert offenders from the justice system and free up
police officer time, as I said previously. This will be rolled out effective in
the Perth CBD as of 30 March, and we will be rolling out the next tranche of
this in other regional settings and settings across the state from 30 June.
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