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Sentencing 1997-98 to 2007-08 (Numbers)

Description

The graph, Sentencing from 1997-98 to 2007-08 (numbers), presents the number of people sentenced in the Victorian higher courts by the sentence type imposed between 1997-98 and 2007-08.

Commentary

In 2007-08, 2,206 people were sentenced in the higher courts – a 54% increase since 1997-98 (up from 1,431). Of these people:

• 45% or 1,002 were sentenced to imprisonment
• 3% or 62 were sentenced to an intensive correction order
• 30% or 653 were sentenced to a wholly or partially suspended sentence
• 10% or 210 were sentenced to a community based order
• 4% or 93 were sentenced to a fine
• 3% or 73 were sentenced to an adjourned undertaking, a bond, or were sentenced to a discharge or dismissal (with or without conviction)
• 3% or 65 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 ten years. Notable changes between 1997-98 and 2007-08 were:

• an increase in the percentage of people sentenced who received wholly and partially suspended sentences of imprisonment from 27% in 2001-02 to a high of 35% in 2004-05. Since then it has remained relatively stable, ranging between 27% in 2006-07 and 31% in 2005-06.
• an increase in the percentage of people sentenced who received imprisonment from 42% (1997-98) to a high of 50% in 2001-02. Over the past five years the rate has remained consistent, ranging between 46% in 2003-04 and 49% in 2006-07, however it did drop to a low of 43% in 2004-05.

Explanatory notes

The higher courts include the Supreme Court and County Court.

Higher courts data may be subject to minor revision.

Please refer to Sentence Classification 1997-98 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 Unpublished data.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, 2008.