10. Traffic Offenders
A traffic-related offence was the most serious offence for 420 inmates (8 percent of sentenced inmates). Of these, the most common type of traffic offence was driving while disqualified, which accounted for more than half of the traffic offenders.
Table 10-1 Traffic offences of sentenced inmates
|
Major offence |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|||
|
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
|
|
Driving dangerously/ carelessly |
1 |
4.5% |
20 |
5.0% |
21 |
5.0% |
|
Driving while disqualified |
9 |
40.9% |
207 |
52.0% |
216 |
51.4% |
|
Driving with excess Alcohol |
12 |
54.5% |
171 |
43.0% |
183 |
43.6% |
|
Total |
22 |
100.0% |
4833 |
100.0% |
420 |
100.0% |
Traffic offenders tended to be fairly evenly spread across the 25 to 49 years age range. Uneven variation in the percentages for women reflect the low numbers.
Table 10-2 Age of traffic offender sentenced inmates
|
Age |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|||
|
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
|
|
15 - 19 |
1 |
4.5% |
16 |
4.0 |
17 |
4.0% |
|
20 - 24 |
2 |
9.1% |
38 |
9.5 |
40 |
9.5% |
|
25 - 29 |
0 |
0.0% |
67 |
16.8 |
67 |
16.0% |
|
30 - 34 |
6 |
27.3% |
66 |
16.6 |
72 |
17.1% |
|
35 - 39 |
3 |
13.6% |
66 |
16.6 |
69 |
16.4% |
|
40 - 45 |
7 |
31.8 |
70 |
17.6 |
77 |
18.3% |
|
44 - 49 |
1 |
4.5% |
39 |
9.8 |
40 |
9.5% |
|
50 - 59 |
2 |
9.1% |
27 |
6.8 |
29 |
6.9% |
|
60 + |
0 |
0.0% |
3 |
0.8 |
3 |
0.7% |
|
Not recorded |
0 |
0.0% |
6 |
1.5 |
6 |
1.4% |
|
Total |
22 |
100.0% |
398 |
100.0% |
420 |
100.0% |
Ninety six percent (402 out of 420) of the sentenced inmates whose major offence was traffic-related had previously served at least one Corrections-administered sentence. Such sentencing histories were often extensive though not necessarily dominated specifically by traffic offending. The following tables show the extent of sentencing history and whether the immediately prior major offence was traffic-related.
Eighty-eight percent (371 out of 420) of sentenced traffic offenders had a prior major offence for traffic offending. Seventy four percent (312 out of 420) of the sentenced traffic offenders had served at least one previous custodial sentence.
Table 10-3 Previous sentences by prior major offence type – sentenced traffic offence inmates
|
Number of previous sentences |
Prior major offence was non-traffic |
Prior major offence was traffic |
Total |
||
|
Inmates |
Percent |
Inmates |
Percent |
Inmates |
|
|
No prior sentences |
|
|
|
|
18 |
|
1 - 10 |
18 |
58.1% |
78 |
21.0% |
96 |
|
11 - 20 |
2 |
6.5% |
62 |
16.7% |
64 |
|
21 - 30 |
2 |
6.5% |
69 |
18.6% |
71 |
|
31 - 40 |
3 |
9.7% |
46 |
12.4% |
49 |
|
41 - 50 |
0 |
0.0% |
34 |
9.2% |
34 |
|
51 - 60 |
2 |
6.5% |
22 |
5.9% |
24 |
|
61 - 70 |
2 |
6.5% |
20 |
5.4% |
22 |
|
71 - 80 |
0 |
0.0% |
9 |
2.4% |
9 |
|
81 - 90 |
0 |
0.0% |
7 |
1.9% |
7 |
|
91 - 100 |
0 |
0.0% |
9 |
2.4% |
9 |
|
100 + |
2 |
6.5% |
15 |
4.0% |
17 |
|
Total |
31 |
100.0% |
371 |
100.0% |
420 |
Table 10-4 Previous custodial sentences by offence type - sentenced traffic offence inmates
|
Number of previous custodial sentences |
Prior major offence was non-traffic |
Prior major offence was traffic |
Total |
||
|
Inmates |
Percent |
Inmates |
Percent |
Inmates |
|
|
No prior sentences (18) |
|
|
|
|
18 |
|
No prior custody but has prior sentences. |
15 |
48.4% |
755 |
20.2% |
90 |
|
1 |
8 |
25.8% |
56 |
15.1% |
64 |
|
2 |
1 |
3.2% |
54 |
14.6% |
55 |
|
3 - 5 |
2 |
6.5% |
96 |
25.9% |
98 |
|
6 - 10 |
3 |
9.7% |
69 |
18.6% |
72 |
|
11 - 20 |
2 |
6.5% |
20 |
5.4% |
22 |
|
More than 20 |
0 |
0.0% |
1 |
0.3% |
1 |
|
Total |
31 |
100.0% |
371 |
100.0% |
420 |