Unlawful assault

Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) s 23

Sentencing outcomes in the Magistrates' Court, 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2021

Charge data

In the Magistrates' Court, 22,045 charges of unlawful assault were sentenced in the three years to 30 June 2021. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was imprisonment (30.5%, or 6727 of 22,045 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 17,166 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the three years to 30 June 2021, unlawful assault was the principal proven offence (the most serious crime) in the case. In those 17,166 cases, 14,599 people were male and 2,567 people were female. The most common sentence was an adjourned undertaking (29.3%, or 5037 of 17,166 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 unlawful assault (22,045 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 unlawful assault (911 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 unlawful assault (4,934 charges)
Bar graph of community correction orders for charges
Figure 4: Fine amounts for charges of unlawful assault (1,415 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 unlawful assault by financial year (22,045 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 unlawful assault by financial year (22,045 charges)
Bar graph of charges by financial year
Figure 7: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of unlawful assault by financial year (911 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 unlawful assault by financial year (4,934 charges)
Bar graph of community correction orders for charges by financial year
Figure 9: Average fine amounts for charges of unlawful assault by financial year (1,415 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 unlawful assault (17,166 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 unlawful assault (14,599 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 unlawful assault (2,567 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 unlawful assault (3,087 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 unlawful assault (13,014 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 unlawful assault (1,029 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 unlawful assault (5,024 cases), including imprisonment only (3,168 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (CCO) (1,856 cases)
Bar graph of imprisonment
Figure 12: Non-parole periods for cases of unlawful assault (3,168 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 unlawful assault (5,154 cases), including community correction orders without imprisonment (3,298 cases) and community correction orders combined with imprisonment (1,856 cases)
Bar graph of community correction orders
Figure 15A: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for all people (17,166 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for all people
Figure 15B: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for males (14,599 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for males
Figure 15C: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for females (2,567 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for females
Figure 15D: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for people aged 18 to 24 (3,087 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 18 to 24
Figure 15E: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for people aged 25 to 54 (13,014 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 25 to 54
Figure 15F: Number of cases of unlawful assault by financial year for people aged 55 and over (1,029 cases)
Bar graph of cases by financial year for people aged 55 and over
Figure 14A: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of unlawful assault by financial year (17,166 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 unlawful assault by financial year (14,599 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 unlawful assault by financial year (2,567 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 unlawful assault by financial year (3,087 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 unlawful assault by financial year (13,014 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 unlawful assault by financial year (1,029 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 16: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of unlawful assault by financial year (5,024 cases), including imprisonment without a community correction order (3,168 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (CCO) (1,856 cases)
Bar graph of imprisonment by financial year
Figure 17: Average imprisonment lengths and non-parole periods (NPPs) for cases of unlawful assault by financial year (339 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 unlawful assault by financial year, including community correction orders without imprisonment (3,298 cases) and community correction orders combined with imprisonment (1,856 cases)
Bar graph of community correction orders by financial year

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