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Sentencing 1981 to 2007-08 (Percentages)

Description

The graph, Sentencing from 1981 to 2007-08 (percentages), presents the distribution of sentences in the higher courts in Victoria between 1981 and 2007-08.

Commentary

Since 1981, the proportion of people sentenced to imprisonment reached its high in 1985 at 58%, and reached its low of 43% in both 1997 and 2004-05.

The proportion of people sentenced to a wholly or partially suspended sentence first peaked in 1994 at 35% and then again in 2003-04 at 35%. From 2004-05 the rate steadily declined, reaching 27% in 2006-07, before rising again to 30% in 2007-08.

The proportion of people sentenced to a community based order declined between 1981 (12%) and 1986 (5%), then generally increased, reaching 11% in 1991. Since 1998 it has remained relatively steady, ranging from 8% in 1997-98 to 11% in 2002-03.

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.

Please refer to Sentence Classification 1981 to 2007-08 for a description of sentence types included in each category

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 Unpublished data.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, 2009.