In 2024–25, the most common sentencing outcomes in the higher courts (the County and Supreme Courts) were imprisonment (72.1% of cases) and community correction orders (12.6%).
In 2024–25, the rate of prison sentences fell slightly, down from 74.3% in 2023–24.
Wholly and partially suspended sentences are only available for offences committed before 1 May 2011. Consequently, suspended sentences have become relatively rare, decreasing from 23.4% of sentencing outcomes in the higher courts in 2011–12 to just 1.0% in 2024-25 (16 cases).
Sentencing outcomes in the higher courts
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Source: Court Services Victoria, unpublished data.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.
