NCJ Number
195072
Date Published
March 2002
Length
237 pages
Annotation
This report contains a review of Australia's Victorian Government's sentencing laws as related to child stealing, sentencing for drug offenses and drug-related offenses, sentencing options in general, deferred sentences, and mechanisms to inform the sentencing process. It is based upon a discussion paper, Sentencing Review, released by the attorney general in 2001, for public consultation.
Abstract
The report, contains an executive summary, an introduction, and terms of reference, seven chapters and two appendices. Major topics covered are: general issues; current climate; child stealing; history of section 63 and its relation to other offenses; maximum penalties for statutory child-stealing in other jurisdictions; reviewing the maximum penalty; sentencing for drug-related offenses; sentencing options; community-based sanctions within the sentencing system; general issues relating to sentencing options; resources and the principle of reciprocal obligation; sentence length, proportionality and intermediate sanctions; suspended sentences; partly suspended sentences and imprisonment release orders; intensive correction order; youth training center order; community-based orders; deferred sentences; mechanisms to inform the sentencing process; and guideline judgements. Further issues include sentences of imprisonment and the road safety act, special offender groups, day fines, concurrent and cumulative sentences, serious offender provisions, restitution and compensation, and implementation. The two appendices contain the proposed revised Victorian sentencing hierarchy and the conclusion.