Cases Sentenced in the Children's Court
In 2016-17, the number of cases sentenced in the Children’s Court of Victoria increased to 4,191, from 3,853 in the previous year. This increase was partly due to a large increase in youth diversion, from 25 cases in 2014-15 to 1,120 cases in 2016-17. Youth diversion became available in all Children’s Court locations in January 2017.
Note: The figures in this graph include cases that received youth diversion. Youth diversion is not a sentence and does not result from a formal finding of guilt. However, it is an important disposition that the Children's Court may use in certain circumstances to divert low-level offenders from the criminal justice system.
Number of cases sentenced in the Children’s Court from July 2007 to June 2017
Hover over the line in the graph to display the number of cases for each year.
| Year | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 8,923 |
| 2008-09 | 6,716 |
| 2009-10 | 6,383 |
| 2010-11 | 5,527 |
| 2011-12 | 4,719 |
| 2012-13 | 4,366 |
| 2013-14 | 3,989 |
| 2014-15 | 3,756 |
| 2015-16 | 3,853 |
| 2016-17 | 4,191 |
Source: Court Services Victoria, unpublished data.