In 2024–25, the most common sentencing outcomes in the Children’s Court were good behaviour bonds (23.5% of cases) and probation (11.0% of cases).
Youth diversion was granted in 44.6% of cases. Introduced in 2015, youth diversion is not a sentence and does not result in a formal finding of guilt. However, it is an important outcome in the Children's Court. Cases receiving youth diversion increased from 0.6% (22 cases) in 2014–15 to a peak of 54.2% (1,215 cases) in 2022–23. Since then, youth diversion has decreased, from 53.9% in 2023–24 to 44.6% in 2024–25.
Conversely, some orders became more common between 2023–24 and 2024–25:
- youth detention (a youth residential centre order or a youth justice centre order) increased from 2.6% to 3.4%
- youth attendance orders or youth supervision orders increased from 6.5% to 8.6%
- good behaviour bonds increased from 19.5% to 23.5% and
- probation increased from 8.4% to 11.0%.
The use of fines declined from 67.0% in 2006–07 to 1.3% in 2023–24 and 2024–25. Fines spiked in 2006–07 partly because the Children’s Court processed large numbers of infringements at that time.
Introduced in 2018, youth control orders are an uncommon outcome in the Children’s Court. No youth control orders were imposed in 2023–24 or 2024–25.
Sentencing outcomes in the Children’s Court
Hover over the lines in the graph to display the sentencing outcome, year and percentage of all cases.
Source: Court Services Victoria, unpublished data.
Note: The data may be subject to revision to reflect amendments to records in Court Services Victoria’s databases.
