In 2023–24, the most common sentencing outcomes in the higher courts (the County and Supreme Courts) were imprisonment (74.5% of cases) and community correction orders (12.9% of cases).
In the 20 years to June 2024, the percentage of cases sentenced to imprisonment increased from 39.6% in 2004–05 to 74.5% in 2023–24.
Wholly and partially suspended sentences are only available for offences committed before 1 May 2011. Consequently, they have become relatively rare, decreasing from 23.4% of sentencing outcomes in the higher courts in 2011–12 to just 1.4% in 2023–24.
Percentage of cases sentenced in the higher courts of Victoria, 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Source: Court Services Victoria, unpublished data.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.
