The Council is studying offenders who were sentenced aged 60 years and over.
The proportion of Victorians aged 60 years and over has steadily increased over the last five decades and is expected to continue rising.
An aging population has flow-on effects on the prison population, sentencing policy and the administration of sentences.
Figure: Proportion of Victorians aged 60 and over
While many studies have examined issues relating to older prisoners, far less published research has looked into older offenders more broadly. To address this gap, the Council will provide a profile of older offenders in Victoria.
The Council will examine:
- trends in the number and proportion of older offenders who were sentenced between 2010 and 2019
- the age, gender and offence profile of older offenders
- the sentences imposed on older offenders
- prior offending by older offenders.
The Council will also examine the relevance of advanced age as a sentencing consideration.
Table: Proportion of Victorians aged 60 and over, 1971 to 2019 (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
| Year | Proportion |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 13% |
| 1972 | 13% |
| 1973 | 13% |
| 1974 | 13% |
| 1975 | 13% |
| 1976 | 13% |
| 1977 | 13% |
| 1978 | 14% |
| 1979 | 14% |
| 1980 | 14% |
| 1981 | 14% |
| 1982 | 14% |
| 1983 | 15% |
| 1984 | 15% |
| 1985 | 15% |
| 1986 | 15% |
| 1987 | 15% |
| 1988 | 16% |
| 1989 | 16% |
| 1990 | 16% |
| 1991 | 16% |
| 1992 | 16% |
| 1993 | 16% |
| 1994 | 16% |
| 1995 | 16% |
| 1996 | 17% |
| 1997 | 17% |
| 1998 | 17% |
| 1999 | 17% |
| 2000 | 17% |
| 2001 | 17% |
| 2002 | 17% |
| 2003 | 17% |
| 2004 | 18% |
| 2005 | 18% |
| 2006 | 18% |
| 2007 | 18% |
| 2008 | 19% |
| 2009 | 19% |
| 2010 | 19% |
| 2011 | 19% |
| 2012 | 20% |
| 2013 | 20% |
| 2014 | 20% |
| 2015 | 20% |
| 2016 | 20% |
| 2017 | 20% |
| 2018 | 21% |
| 2019 | 21% |
