❓ Question on Notice regarding imprisonment for fines offences in WA, focusing on the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, outstanding fine amounts, and penalties for non-payment. The answer provides statistics on imprisonment for fine default, regional breakdowns, outstanding fine amounts, and available sanctions.
AnsweredQoN 4024Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 September 2010
Member
Portfolio
Attorney General; Minister for Corrective Services
QuestionView source ↗
(1) For the 2009 calendar year how many people were imprisoned for fines offences, including non-payment of fines, speeding, drink driving and administration errors; and
(a) how many of these are Kimberley residents; and
(b) how many of these are Pilbara residents?
(2) To date in 2010 how many people were imprisoned for fines offences, including non-payment of fines, speeding, drink driving and administration errors; and
(a) how many of these are Kimberley residents; and
(b) how many of these are Pilbara residents?
(3) How much is currently owed to the State for unpaid fines?
(4) What are the ranges of penalties for unpaid fines?
(a) how many of these are Kimberley residents; and
(b) how many of these are Pilbara residents?
(2) To date in 2010 how many people were imprisoned for fines offences, including non-payment of fines, speeding, drink driving and administration errors; and
(a) how many of these are Kimberley residents; and
(b) how many of these are Pilbara residents?
(3) How much is currently owed to the State for unpaid fines?
(4) What are the ranges of penalties for unpaid fines?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 December 2010
Response time
69 days
(1) Persons may be imprisoned through execution of a warrant for non-payment of court ordered fines or fines imposed by way of infringement notice. During the calendar year 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009, the total number of warrants for fine default executed were as follows:
Fine Default without remand warrant or other sentence type current at the same time: 644 persons.
It is not possible to easily distinguish for each of those 644 persons, the specific offences for which a fine was imposed which ultimately resulted in imprisonment.
(a) Of those 644 individuals, 35 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Kimberley.
(b) Of those 644 individuals, 19 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Pilbara.
(2) During the year to date 1 January 2010 to 31 August 2010, warrants for Fine Default were executed as follows:
Fine Default without remand warrant or other sentence type current at the same time: 1036 persons.
With respect to those prisoners, it is important to note that the average time each of these persons spends in prison for fine default alone is, on average, 6 days, and consequentially, at any given point in time, the total number of prisoners solely in prison for fine default is very low. For instance, in a snapshot at 20 May 2010 the number of sentenced prisoners whose current term was for fine default offences only and who had no current remand warrant was 18. It is possible to obtain data as to the offences which resulted in these fines for such a snapshot. For the snapshot of 18 persons as at 20 May 2010:
Most Serious Offence resulting in fine
Number
Assaulting Public Officer
1
Breach of Bail
1
Burglary
1
Damage
1
Damage to Property
1
Dangerous Driving
1
Excess 0.08
1
Extortion
1
Misleading Police
1
No MDL (Suspended)
1
Possess Specified Drug
2
Stealing as Servant
1
Threaten to Cause
1
Assault
4
Total: 18
(a) Of those 1036 individuals, 61 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Kimberley.
(b) Of those 1036 individuals, 37 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Pilbara.
(3) As at 22 September 2010, $240 937 013 is outstanding for unpaid court fines and infringements. Of this, $73.5m is under time to pay arrangement. The balance is under active enforcement.
(4) Sanctions available under
Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994
for unpaid court fines are presently:
- licence suspension;
- vehicle registration suspension;
- seizure and sale of assets under a warrant of execution;
- work and development order; and
- imprisonment.
The Minister has publically indicated he is presently developing options to expand this list.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
Fine Default without remand warrant or other sentence type current at the same time: 644 persons.
It is not possible to easily distinguish for each of those 644 persons, the specific offences for which a fine was imposed which ultimately resulted in imprisonment.
(a) Of those 644 individuals, 35 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Kimberley.
(b) Of those 644 individuals, 19 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Pilbara.
(2) During the year to date 1 January 2010 to 31 August 2010, warrants for Fine Default were executed as follows:
Fine Default without remand warrant or other sentence type current at the same time: 1036 persons.
With respect to those prisoners, it is important to note that the average time each of these persons spends in prison for fine default alone is, on average, 6 days, and consequentially, at any given point in time, the total number of prisoners solely in prison for fine default is very low. For instance, in a snapshot at 20 May 2010 the number of sentenced prisoners whose current term was for fine default offences only and who had no current remand warrant was 18. It is possible to obtain data as to the offences which resulted in these fines for such a snapshot. For the snapshot of 18 persons as at 20 May 2010:
Most Serious Offence resulting in fine
Number
Assaulting Public Officer
1
Breach of Bail
1
Burglary
1
Damage
1
Damage to Property
1
Dangerous Driving
1
Excess 0.08
1
Extortion
1
Misleading Police
1
No MDL (Suspended)
1
Possess Specified Drug
2
Stealing as Servant
1
Threaten to Cause
1
Assault
4
Total: 18
(a) Of those 1036 individuals, 61 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Kimberley.
(b) Of those 1036 individuals, 37 are recorded as having a last known address as at reception in the Statistical Division of Pilbara.
(3) As at 22 September 2010, $240 937 013 is outstanding for unpaid court fines and infringements. Of this, $73.5m is under time to pay arrangement. The balance is under active enforcement.
(4) Sanctions available under
Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994
for unpaid court fines are presently:
- licence suspension;
- vehicle registration suspension;
- seizure and sale of assets under a warrant of execution;
- work and development order; and
- imprisonment.
The Minister has publically indicated he is presently developing options to expand this list.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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