Sentencing Outcomes in the Higher Courts by Number

This graph shows the number of people sentenced in the Victorian higher courts by the sentence type imposed between 1997-98 to 2008-09.

Figure: Sentencing outcomes in the higher courts, 1997-98 to 2008-09, by number

In 2008-09 there were 1,953 people sentenced in the higher courts – a 36% increase since 1997-98 (up from 1,431). For these 1,953 people, the following sentences were imposed:

• 937 people (50%) were sentenced to imprisonment
• 32 people (2%) were sentenced to an intensive correction order
• 627 people (32%) were sentenced to a wholly or partially suspended sentence
• 124 people (6%) were sentenced to a community-based order
• 81 people (4%) were fined
• 25 people (1%) were sentenced to an adjourned undertaking, a bond, or were sentenced to a discharge or dismissal (with or without conviction)
• 16 people (4%) were sentenced to another order, such as a hospital security order or a residential treatment order.

Overall, sentencing trends in the higher courts have remained largely consistent over the past 12 years. Notable changes during this period include the following:

• An increase in the number of people sentenced who received wholly and partially suspended sentences of imprisonment, from 469 in 2001-02 to a high of 711 in 2004-05. Since then it has remained relatively stable, ranging between 575 in 2006-07 and 627 in 2008-09.
• A steady increase in the number of people sentenced to imprisonment, from 586 in 1997-98 to 961 in 2003-04, with a marked decline to 817 in 2004-05, before climbing to 996 in 2007-08 and falling again to 937 in 2008-09.

Explanatory Notes

The higher courts include the Supreme Court and County Court. Higher courts data may be subject to minor revision.

In November 2008 the percentages for several sentencing outcomes for a number of previous years were revised to provide more correct estimates of missing data.   

Refer to sentence classification 1996-97 to 2008-09 for a description of sentence types included in each category for numbers.

Source

Courts Statistical Services, Department of Justice (Victoria). Unpublished data.

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• Higher Courts Sentencing Outcomes by Number.xls (XLS, 14.5 KB)