Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences had the highest rate of conviction in 2018, with 91.7% of all such offences resulting in conviction when prosecuted to an outcome in 2018.
Statistics New Zealand has released adult criminal conviction and sentencing statistics for the 2018 calendar year from data provided by the Ministry of Justice.
The information shows that 76.1% of the 208,356 cases in District and High Courts where adults were prosecuted had an outcome resulting in a conviction.
A further 3.7% of charges were “other proved” but not recorded as convictions – these included where Police offered diversion or the person was discharged without conviction under section 105 of the Sentencing Act 2002. Most of the rest – 19.8% - were “not proved”. This includes where the person was acquitted or discharged or where the charge was dismissed or withdrawn. A very small proportion of cases - 0.4% - (“other”) resulted in a stay of proceeding, the person being found unfit to stand trial or acquitted on account of insanity.
Sexual assault and related offences had the lowest proportion of outcomes resulting in a conviction, with just over half - 51.5% - resulting in a conviction and 46.5% not proved.
Outcomes for categories of adult offences prosecuted to a conclusion in 2018
| Category | Outcomes | Convicted | Other Proved | Not Proved |
| Traffic & vehicle regulatory | 39,280 | 91.7% | 1.5% | 6.7% |
| Theft & related offences | 21,650 | 81.1% | 3.2% | 15.4% |
| Offences against justice, government security | 42,564 | 80.9% | 1.1% | 17.9% |
| Dangerous or negligent acts | 11,927 | 78.6% | 10.6% | 10.6% |
| Property damage, environmental pollution | 7,877 | 72.7% | 9.7% | 16.8% |
| Unlawful entry with intent/burglary | 4,939 | 72.5% | 2.4% | 24.5% |
| Public order offences | 6,990 | 72.4% | 5.5% | 21.2% |
| Illicit drug offences | 15,220 | 69.2% | 3.4% | 27.4% |
| Robbery, extortion | 1,256 | 67.8% | 0.6% | 30.9% |
| Fraud, deception and related | 13,451 | 65.4% | 2.8% | 31.4% |
| Prohibited & regulated weapons/explosives | 5,340 | 64.9% | 3.4% | 31.2% |
| Abduction, harassment | 5,313 | 64.9% | 4.5% | 29.7% |
| Homicide | 223 | 64.6% | 3.1% | 29.1% |
| Acts intended to cause injury | 23,295 | 63.4% | 8.4% | 27.5% |
| Miscellaneous offences | 3,669 | 56.3% | 6.1% | 37.4% |
| Sexual assault & related offences | 5,362 | 51.5% | 0.5% | 46.5% |
| Total 2018 | 208,356 | 76.1% | 3.7% | 19.8% |