Obtain property by deception

Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) s 81(1)

Magistrates' Court sentencing outcomes, 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2023

Charge data

In the Magistrates' Court, 21,589 charges of obtain property by deception were sentenced in the three years to 30 June 2023. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was imprisonment (46.2%, or 9983 of 21,589 charges).

On SACStat, a charge is a single count of a sentenced offence. Charge data is most useful in understanding how a specific crime is usually sentenced.

Case data

In 5,016 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the three years to 30 June 2023, each case included at least 1 charge of obtain property by deception. In those 5,016 cases, 3,670 people were male and 1,346 people were female. The most common sentence was imprisonment (41.7%, or 2095 of 5,016 cases).

A case is a collection of one or more charges against a person or company sentenced at the one hearing. Case data is most useful in understanding the total sentence usually imposed on people found guilty of a particular crime.

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Figure 1: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of obtain property by deception (21,589 charges)

Note: The graph only includes data for the most severe sentence imposed for the charge. For example, only imprisonment is included for combined orders of imprisonment and a community correction order. Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for charges
Figure 2: Imprisonment lengths for charges of obtain property by deception (448 charges)

Note: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph of imprisonment for charges
Figure 3: Community correction order lengths for charges of obtain property by deception (5,322 charges)
Bar graph of community correction orders for charges
Figure 4: Fine amounts for charges of obtain property by deception (156 charges)

Note: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Bar graph of fines for charges
Figure 5: Sentencing outcomes for charges of obtain property by deception by financial year (21,589 charges)

Note: The graph only includes data for the most severe sentence imposed for the charge. For example, only imprisonment is included for combined orders of imprisonment and a community correction order. Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for charges
Figure 6: Number of charges of obtain property by deception by financial year (21,589 charges)
Bar graph of charges by financial year
Figure 7: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of obtain property by deception by financial year (448 charges)

Note: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph of imprisonment for charges by financial year
Figure 8: Average community correction order lengths for charges of obtain property by deception by financial year (5,322 charges)
Bar graph of community correction orders for charges by financial year
Figure 9: Average fine amounts for charges of obtain property by deception by financial year (156 charges)

Note: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Bar graph of fines amounts for charges by financial year
Figure 10A: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of obtain property by deception (5,016 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes
Figure 10B: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of obtain property by deception (3,670 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for males
Figure 10C: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of obtain property by deception (1,346 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for females
Figure 10D: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 18 to 24 for cases of obtain property by deception (801 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for people aged 18 to 24
Figure 10E: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of obtain property by deception (4,034 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54
Figure 10F: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over for cases of obtain property by deception (174 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over
Figure 11: Imprisonment lengths for cases of obtain property by deception (2,095 cases), including imprisonment only (1,412 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (CCO) (683 cases)
Bar graph of imprisonment
Figure 12: Non-parole periods for cases of obtain property by deception (1,412 cases)

Note: Imprisonment terms do not include a community correction order.

Bar graph of non-parole periods
Figure 13: Community correction order lengths for cases of obtain property by deception (1,732 cases), including community correction orders without imprisonment (1,049 cases) and community correction orders combined with imprisonment (683 cases)
Bar graph of community correction orders
Figure 14A: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (5,016 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes
Figure 14B: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (3,670 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for males
Figure 14C: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (1,346 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for females
Figure 14D: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 18 to 24 for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (801 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for people aged 18 to 24
Figure 14E: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (4,034 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54
Figure 14F: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (174 cases)

Note: Other in the graph may include probation, recognizance release orders (for Commonwealth offences) and residential treatment orders. Historical offences may include suspended sentences.

Bar graph of yearly sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over
Figure 15A: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for all people (5,016 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for all people
Figure 15B: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for males (3,670 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for males
Figure 15C: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for females (1,346 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for females
Figure 15D: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for people aged 18 to 24 (801 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 18 to 24
Figure 15E: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for people aged 25 to 54 (4,034 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 25 to 54
Figure 15F: Number of cases of obtain property by deception by financial year for people aged 55 and over (174 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 55 and over
Figure 16: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (2,095 cases), including imprisonment without a community correction order (1,412 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (CCO) (683 cases)
Bar graph of imprisonment by financial year
Figure 17: Average imprisonment lengths and non-parole periods (NPPs) for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year (157 cases)

Note: NPP Cases in the graph indicates that only cases with a non-parole period are included.

Bar graph of imprisonment and non-parole periods by financial year
Figure 18: Average community correction order (CCO) lengths for cases of obtain property by deception by financial year, including community correction orders without imprisonment (1,049 cases) and community correction orders combined with imprisonment (683 cases)
Bar graph of community correction orders by financial year

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