Recorded crime by offenders

KEY FINDINGS OF AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS REPORT ON OFFENDERS

* Illicit drug offences have increased every year since 2008-09 and are the most prevalent principal offence nationally.

* The number of illicit drug offenders increased by 11 per cent in 2014-15.

* The total number of offenders of various crimes increased by two per cent in 2014-15 to 411,686.

* The number of youth offenders aged 10-19 years fell by three per cent in 2014-15, marking the fifth consecutive year offenders in this age group have decreased.

* Abduction/harassment had the largest percentage increase in a principal offence with 16 per cent.

* The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders remains high relative to their population in each state and territory where data was collected.

* Nationally, the most prevalent principal offences in 2014-15 were: illicit drugs (79,070, or 19 per cent); acts intended to cause injury (71,792, or 17 per cent); public order (69,465, or 17 per cent); and theft (68,311, or 17 per cent).