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Sentencing in 1999-00 to 2007-08 (Percentages)

Description

The graph, Sentencing in 1999-00 to 2007-08 (percentages), presents the distribution of sentences imposed in the Children’s Court between 1999-00 and 2007-08.

Commentary

From 1999-00 to 2007-08, sentencing trends in the Children’s Court remained largely stable. Then in 2006-07 there was a dramatic change, with the percentage of people sentenced who received a fine jumping to 64% (from 39% in 2005-06), with associated declines across all other sentence types. 2007-08 has seen a moderate decline in the use of fines (down 10%) and a rise in the use of undertakings (up 2%) and good behaviour bonds (up 4%).

Explanatory notes

The increase in the number of defendants sentenced in the Children's Court in 2006-07 was due to two main reasons, both relating to the increase in age jurisdiction of the Children's Court from young people aged from 10 to 16 years to those aged from 10 to 17, which occurred on 1 July 2005. Firstly, a backlog of infringement matters from the Department of Infrastructure was processed in the Children's Court in 2006-07. The matters related to fare evasion and other public transport related offences among 17 year olds which, prior to the age increase, were processed in the adult PERIN (Penalty Enforcement by Registration of Infringement Notice) system. Secondly, the full impact of the age increase more generally was not felt until 2006-07.

While the number of defendants sentenced in the Children’s Court has decreased from 2006-07 to 2007-08, it has yet to return to the levels seen before the jurisdictional change.

Source

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 Unpublished data.

Data

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Author:	Sentencing Advisory Council
Place of Publication:	Melbourne
Publisher:	Sentencing Advisory Council
Date of Publication:	2008
Number of Pages:	1
Copyright:	State of Victoria, Sentencing Advisory Council, 2008.