Sex Breakdown of People with Finalised Charges (1980–2024)
1. Overview: Sex Proportions Over Time
From 1980 to 2024, the distribution is as follows:
| Year | Female (%) | Male (%) | Organisation (%) | Unknown (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13% | 71% | 2% | 13% |
| 1990 | 19% | 78% | 2% | 2% |
| 2000 | 20% | 79% | 1% | <1% |
| 2010 | 23% | 76% | 1% | <1% |
| 2020 | 21% | 78% | <1% | <1% |
| 2024 | 21% | 79% | <1% | <1% |
2. Trends and Insights
a. Females
- Proportion steadily increased: From 13% in 1980 to around 20–23% since the 2000s.
- Absolute count (examples):
- 1980: 21,126
- 2010: 28,596
- 2024: 14,104
b. Males
- Consistently dominant group: Ranging between 71% (1980) and 79% (2024).
- Slight decline as females increased, but overall male numbers remain high.
- Absolute count (examples):
- 1980: 115,634
- 2010: 93,365
- 2024: 52,937
c. Organisation & Unknown
- Organisation: Small category (2–1%) and declining to <1% in recent years.
- Unknown: Was significant (up to 13% in 1980) but now almost negligible (<1%).
d. General Trends
- The share of females among people with finalised charges has gradually risen, particularly from the 1990s onwards.
- The percentage of males has remained relatively steady, indicating the gender gap persists but has slightly narrowed (8-to-1 in 1980, about 4-to-1 now).
3. Latest (2024) Data
| Gender | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 14,104 | 21% |
| Male | 52,937 | 79% |
| Organisation | 237 | <1% |
| Unknown | 121 | <1% |
| Total | 67,399 | 100% |
4. Key Visual Takeaways
- 1980s: ~13% Female, ~71% Male, high Unknown (13%).
- 2000s-onwards: Female share stabilizes around 20%, Male at 77–79%.
- 2024: 79% Male, 21% Female, very few Unknown.
5. Implications
- Increase in female proportion may reflect societal, policing, or reporting changes, or shifting patterns of offending.
- Male overrepresentation remains a key consistency in the justice system—a persistent feature across more than 40 years.
Summary Statement
“Over the past four decades, males have consistently made up the vast majority of people with finalised charges in New Zealand, though the percentage of females has increased modestly over time. As of 2024, 21% are female and 79% are male.”
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