❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the WA Police Minister regarding the practice of writing off home burglary files due to insufficient evidence, following a statement about changes to sanction rate reporting. The Minister provides data on the number and percentage of such cases from 2007-08 to 2013-14, clarifying changes in reporting standards.
AnsweredQoN 2121Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Minister's statement in the House on 20 March 2014 that 'we have removed some of the ability for police officers, for instance, to write off files with insufficient evidence recorded against them to beef-up the sanction rate result', and I ask: (a) how many files were written off by police for insufficient evidence for home burglaries in each of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; and (b) what is the total percentage of files that were written off by police for insufficient evidence for home burglaries in each of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
6 May 2014
Responded by
Minister for Police
Response time
35 days
(a)-(b)
Western Australia Police adopted the sanction rate in 2010-11. Prior to this, Western Australia Police reported on the clearance rate. The change to this reporting standard removed the possibility of investigation files which are written off as 'insufficient evidence' affecting the information reported in the Western Australia Police Annual Report. This change has no effect on the management of investigation files by police officers.
Number and percentage of Dwelling Burglary offences finalised with a result of 'insufficient
evidence', 2007-08 to 2013-14 (as at 30 March):
Year
Number
%
2007-08
1 145
4.7
2008-09
1 389
6.1
2009-10
1 388
6.8
2010-11
860
3.5
2011-12
988
3.8
2012-13
1 043
4.1
2013-14
764
4.1
Notes
1. The investigation outcome of 'insufficient evidence' is applied where a person of interest is suspected but there is not enough evidence to substantiate a charge.
2. The standard offence reporting period used by Western Australia Police is the financial year.
3. Dwelling Burglary offences finalised with the result of 'insufficient evidence' as a percentage of all Dwelling Burglary offences finalised within the period which may include offences reported prior to the period. Offences may be finalised as: Offender Processed; Insufficient Evidence; Withdrawn; Mistakenly Reported; False Report; Statute Barred; Civil / Other; and Uncleared.
Western Australia Police adopted the sanction rate in 2010-11. Prior to this, Western Australia Police reported on the clearance rate. The change to this reporting standard removed the possibility of investigation files which are written off as 'insufficient evidence' affecting the information reported in the Western Australia Police Annual Report. This change has no effect on the management of investigation files by police officers.
Number and percentage of Dwelling Burglary offences finalised with a result of 'insufficient
evidence', 2007-08 to 2013-14 (as at 30 March):
Year
Number
%
2007-08
1 145
4.7
2008-09
1 389
6.1
2009-10
1 388
6.8
2010-11
860
3.5
2011-12
988
3.8
2012-13
1 043
4.1
2013-14
764
4.1
Notes
1. The investigation outcome of 'insufficient evidence' is applied where a person of interest is suspected but there is not enough evidence to substantiate a charge.
2. The standard offence reporting period used by Western Australia Police is the financial year.
3. Dwelling Burglary offences finalised with the result of 'insufficient evidence' as a percentage of all Dwelling Burglary offences finalised within the period which may include offences reported prior to the period. Offences may be finalised as: Offender Processed; Insufficient Evidence; Withdrawn; Mistakenly Reported; False Report; Statute Barred; Civil / Other; and Uncleared.
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