Sentencing Snapshots on Injury Offences Released
On Thursday 28 September 2006, the Sentencing Advisory Council released four reports containing statistics on sentencing outcomes for people sentenced for injury offences in the higher courts of Victoria between 2000-01 and 2004-05.
The reports form part of a statistical series known as Sentencing Snapshots that presents summary statistics on sentencing in Victoria. Earlier reports in the series analyse sentencing trends for murder, manslaughter, culpable driving causing death, rape, robbery, armed robbery, burglary and aggravated burglary.
The reports contain previously unpublished statistics on sentence types, lengths and non-parole periods, as well as the age and gender of people sentenced for injury offences in the higher courts of Victoria.
Sentencing trends for causing serious injury intentionally in the higher courts of Victoria:
- 85 per cent (or 464 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period
- around half of the 464 people received a sentence of imprisonment
- the most common term of imprisonment was three years with a non-parole period of one year
- the longest sentence imposed was sixteen years with a non-parole period of thirteen years.
Sentencing trends for causing serious injury recklessly in the higher courts of Victoria:
- 22 per cent (or 476 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period
- around one-third of the 476 people received a sentence of imprisonment
- the most common term of imprisonment was two years with a non-parole period of one year
- the longest sentence imposed was 15 years with a non-parole period of 10 years.
Sentencing trends for causing injury intentionally or recklessly in the higher courts of Victoria:
- 4 per cent (444 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period
- around one in four of the 444 people received a community based order
- the most common length of community based order was one year.
Sentencing trends for affray in the higher courts of Victoria:
- 62 per cent (270 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period
- the report found that around one in four of the 270 people received a wholly suspended sentence of imprisonment
- the most common wholly suspended sentence was six months
- 26 per cent of people received community based orders.