Council Alters Sentencing Environment in Victoria
"For a relatively young organisation we believe that the Council has accomplished a remarkable amount. Whether measured in terms of its output or impact, the Council has managed to alter significantly the sentencing environment in Victoria. Courts, Parliament, policy makers, students, academics and the community more broadly have referred to, and have been influenced by the Councils publications, website and consultation process."
So states Professor Arie Freiberg in the Sentencing Advisory Council Annual Report released this week.
The Annual Report provides an overview of the Council's accomplishments during 2006-2007. These include:
- The adoption by Parliament of two Council reports. The Sentencing (Suspended Sentences) Act 2006 implemented a number of the recommendations made in Part 1 of the Council's report on this highly contentious issue, and the Council's recommendations in relation to the maximum penalties for repeat drink driving were implemented by the Road Legislation (Projects and Road Safety) Act 2006 (Vic).
- The Council's Sentencing Snapshots are now being increasingly referred to by counsel and by the courts in sentencing decisions.
- Hosting the Politics, Public Opinion and the Development of Sentencing Policy Conference. Speakers from Australia, the United States, Scotland, the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand presented a number of original papers that reflected upon the relationship between public opinion and sentencing policy and upon the nature and role of bodies such as the Council in the broader spheres of public policy and judicial decision making.
- A focus on the difficult and divisive issue of high-risk offenders. The reference received from the Attorney-General in May 2006 produced an Issues Paper in September 2006, a Discussion and Options Paper together with a Research Paper on recidivism of sex offenders in January 2007 and a Final Report of nearly 300 pages in mid-2007. The final report acknowledged and reflected community concerns and the differences of opinion on an issue that goes to the heart of community anxieties and fears.
- The release of the You be the Judge Teacher Guide. The three case studies included have been developed to fit within the curriculum for Years 9 and 10 Civics and Citizenship and Years 11 and 12 Legal Studies.