Glossary
Adjourned undertaking
An order that a criminal matter is set aside for up to 5 years and that the offender is released, with or without conviction, on an undertaking with conditions (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) ss 72, 75).
Aggregate sentence
A single sentence (for example, a term of imprisonment or a fine amount) imposed for 2 or more charges within a case, without the individual sentence for each separate charge being specified. A case may include a combination of aggregate and non-aggregate sentences.
Bond without conviction
A federal sentencing order available under Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) s 19B to discharge without conviction a person upon the person giving security that they will be of good behaviour for a specified period, not exceeding 3 years.
Bond with conviction
A federal sentencing order available under Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) s 20(1)(a) to discharge with conviction a person upon the person giving security that they will be of good behaviour for a specified period, not exceeding 5 years. A pecuniary amount can be included as a condition where the offence is punishable by fine.
Case
A collection of one or more charges against a person or company sentenced at the one hearing.
Charge
On SACStat, a single count of a sentenced offence.
Community correction order
A flexible order served in the community that may require the person to comply with a range of conditions. It was introduced on 16 January 2012, replacing such orders as the intensive correction order, home detention and the community-based order (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) pt 3A).
Combined order
A sentence of imprisonment combined with a community correction order.
Discharge
An order that an offender may be discharged unconditionally with conviction (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) s 73).
Dismissal
An order for a proven charge to be dismissed unconditionally without conviction (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) s 76).
Drug and alcohol treatment order
An order for imprisonment of up to 24 months that is deferred while the offender undergoes drug or alcohol treatment and supervision (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) s 18X). This is classified as other in the data.
Fine
A penalty requiring an offender to pay a sum of money to the state (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) pt 3B).
Higher courts
The County Court of Victoria and the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Magistrates' Court
The Magistrates' Court of Victoria, which can hear all summary (less serious) offences and also some indictable (more serious) offences.
Non-aggregate sentence
A sentence (for example, a term of imprisonment or a fine amount) that is specific to a single charge. See also aggregate sentence.
Non-parole period
The period that an offender must serve in prison before being able to apply for parole (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) ss 11-14).
Offender
A person or company that has been found guilty of an offence.
Other
Outcomes for offences that are in addition to the main sentencing outcomes for each offence. For offences sentenced in the higher courts, other in the graph may include adjourned undertakings, discharges, dismissals, court secure treatment orders, probation, residential treatment orders and suspended sentences. For offences sentenced in the Magistrates' Court, other in the graph may include drug and alcohol treatment orders and suspended sentences.
Principal proven offence
The offence within a case that received the most severe sentence (in terms of sentence type and length) according to the sentencing hierarchy. Where multiple offences receive equally severe sentences, the principal proven offence is allocated according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Offence Index.
Principal sentence
The principal sentence is the most serious sentence type imposed at either the case or the charge level.
Probation
An order requiring a child to adhere to conditions for a term not exceeding 12 or 18 months (Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) s 380). Probation is primarily used in the Children's Court, but it can be used in the higher courts if a child has their charges uplifted to the County Court or the Supreme Court.
Recognizance release order (RRO)
A federal sentencing order available under Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) s 19AC where an offender may be released from a term of imprisonment, subject to conditions. RROs are optional for prison sentences up to 6 months, and (unless certain exceptions apply) are required for sentences greater than 6 months but not greater than 3 years. Release may be immediate at the date of sentencing, or at a defined future date. A core condition of an RRO is that the person be of good behaviour. It may also include other conditions such as reparation or pecuniary penalties.
Residential treatment order
An order lasting up to 5 years imposed on offenders with an intellectual disability who have been found guilty of a serious offence, an indecent assault (committed prior to 1 July 2015), sexual assault (committed on or after 1 July 2015) or sexual assault by compelling sexual touching (committed on or after 1 July 2015).
Standard sentence
Numerical guideposts for courts when sentencing 13 specified serious offences. Courts are required to consider the standard sentence alongside all other relevant sentencing principles and factors.
Suspended sentence
A term of imprisonment that is partially or wholly suspended. Suspended sentences are abolished for all Victorian offences committed on or after 1 September 2014.
Unconditional release order
A disposition for people who have been found not guilty because of mental impairment or being found guilty at a special hearing (Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness To Be Tried) Act 1997 (Vic) ss 18(4)(b), 23(b)).
Youth justice centre order
A period of detention in a youth justice centre imposed on a young offender aged 15 to 20 years at the time of sentencing (Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) ss 360(1)(j), 412–413).