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Research and Statistics

This section provides information about a range of research, studies and reviews related to sentencing in Victoria.

Review of sentencing

The Victorian Government initiated a review of sentencing practices in Victoria, leading to the report Pathways to Justice: Sentencing Review 2002. The report in turn led to additional focus on sentencing monitoring and statistics.

For example, in December 2005, the Sentencing Advisory Council (set up as a result of the review) launched an online Sentencing Monitoring resource. This resource examines trends in sentencing in Victoria, based on statistics from Department of Justice agencies, among others.

Corrections Victoria compiles a Statistical Profile of the Victorian Prison System with comprehensive data on the major demographic and sentencing characteristics of the prisoner population.

The courts also collect sentencing and related statistics.

Sentencing laws

For context for researchers, the Judicial College of Victoria’s Victorian Sentencing Manual electronically brings together the latest sentencing law across a range of offences.