Robbers At Court (From Armed Robbery: Proceedings of a Seminar Held 22-24 March 1988, P 83-92, Dennis Challinger, ed. -- See NCJ-119997)

• NCJ Number: 120006
• Author(s): I Potas
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: For microfiche, see NCJ-119997.

Annotation

One of the great misconceptions relating to the sentencing of robbers is that courts are excessively lenient.

Abstract

Sentencing decisions in New South Wales courts between 1978 and 1982 for two offense categories, robbery with major assault, and robbery with minor assault were studied. Data show that approximately 15 percent of offenders sentenced for robbery with major assault avoided imprisonment altogether. The proportion of offenders who received noncustodial sentences for the less serious category of offenses - robbery with minor assault - was considerably higher: approximately one-third. In summary, whereas seven persons out of twenty avoided imprisonment for robbery with minor assault, only three persons out of twenty avoided imprisonment for robbery with major assault.