In 2022–23, the most common sentencing outcomes in the Magistrates' Court were:
- fines (52.3% of sentenced cases)
- adjourned undertakings (18.5% of sentenced cases)
- imprisonment (7.9% of sentenced cases).
Cases receiving a fine have decreased, from a high of 60.6% in 2007–08. In 2022–23, 52.3% of cases received a fine.
Cases receiving an adjourned undertaking have increased, from a low of 9.4% in 2006–07 to a high of 18.5% in 2022–23.
The rate of imprisonment increased from 4.9% in 2004–05 to 13.0% in 2019–20. But that rate has since fallen steadily to 7.9% in 2022–23.
In 2022–23, suspended sentences were imposed in just 18 cases, down from a high of 7,659 cases in 2009–10. Wholly and partially suspended sentences have been phased out in the Magistrates’ Court for offences committed after 1 September 2014. However, suspended sentences can still be imposed for historical offences.
The use of community correction orders (CCOs) (or community-based orders before January 2012) has fluctuated. Cases receiving a community order increased from 5.3% in 2007–08 to a high of 10.5% in 2015–16 and 2016–17, before decreasing to a low of 6.2% in 2020–21. In 2022–23, 6.9% of cases received a CCO.
Note: The percentages in the graph include cases that received a criminal justice diversion plan. The criminal justice diversion plan is not a sentence, but it is an important disposition available in the Magistrates' Court.
Percentage of cases sentenced in the Magistrates’ Court, by sentencing outcome
Hover over the lines in the graph to display the sentencing outcome, year, number of cases and percentage of cases. Select and deselect sentencing outcomes using the key at the top of the graph. Double-click on the key to reset the graph.
Source: Court Services Victoria, unpublished data. Note that the data may be subject to revision to reflect amendments to records in Court Services Victoria’s databases.
