Possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)

Legislation: Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic) s 73(1)

Maximum penalty: 1 year imprisonment, 30 penalty units, or both (not related to trafficking); 5 years imprisonment, 400 penalty units, or both (related to trafficking)

Period: 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2023

Jurisdiction: Magistrates' Court

Charges

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Cases

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All outcomes

Males

Females

Aged 18 to 24

Aged 25 to 54

Aged 55 and over

*Note: unavailable options have under 10 cases

Charge data

In the Magistrates' Court, 4,590 charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) were sentenced in the three years to 30 June 2023. The most common sentence for a charge of this offence was imprisonment (31.2% or 1431 charges).

On SACStat, a charge is a single count of a sentenced offence. Charge data is most useful in understanding how a specific crime is usually sentenced.

Case data

In 3,390 cases sentenced in the Magistrates' Court in the three years to 30 June 2023, each case included at least one charge of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined). Among the 3,390 cases, 2,673 people were male and 717 people were female. The most common outcome for cases was imprisonment (27.2% or 923 cases).

A case is a collection of one or more charges against a person or company sentenced at the one hearing. Case data is most useful in understanding the total sentence usually imposed on people found guilty of a particular crime.

Bar graph showing sentence types imposed for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 1**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 4,590 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 2**: Imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 67 charges**

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 3**: Community correction order lengths for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 1,025 charges**

Bar graph showing fine amounts for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 4**: Fine amounts for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 105 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 5**: Sentencing outcomes for all charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 4,590 charges**

Bar graph showing the number of charges each year for the offence of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 6**: Number of charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 4,590 charges**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths each year for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 7**: Average imprisonment lengths for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 67 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes imprisonment that was not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate imprisonment).

Bar graph showing fines amounts each year for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 8**: Average fine amounts for charges of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 105 charges**
**Note**: The graph only includes fines that were not part of an aggregate sentence (non-aggregate fines).

Bar graph showing sentence types for all offenders for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9A**: Sentencing outcomes for all people for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 3,390 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for male offenders for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9B**: Sentencing outcomes for males for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 2,673 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for female offenders for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9C**: Sentencing outcomes for females for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 717 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged under 25 for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9D**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged under 25 for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 493 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9E**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 25 to 54 for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 2,819 cases**

Bar graph showing sentence types for offenders aged 55 and over for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 9F**: Sentencing outcomes for people aged 55 and over for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 67 cases**

Bar graph showing imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 10**: Imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 1,463 cases**, including imprisonment only (923 cases) and imprisonment combined with a community correction order (540 cases).

Bar graph showing non-parole periods for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 11**: Non-parole periods for all people for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 923 cases**
**Note**: Imprisonment terms do not include a community correction order.

Bar graph showing lengths of community correction orders for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 12**: Community correction order lengths for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined)
**Number: 615 cases**

Stacked bar graph showing sentences imposed each year for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 13**: Sentencing outcomes for all cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 3,390 cases**

Bar graph showing the number of cases each year for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 14**: Number of cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) for all people by financial year
**Number: 3,390 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length each year for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 15**: Average imprisonment lengths for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 1,463 cases**

Bar graph showing the average imprisonment length and average non-parole period for each year for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) — **Figure 16**: Average imprisonment lengths and non-parole periods (NPPs) for cases of possess a drug of dependence (other or not further defined) by financial year
**Number: 105 cases**
**Note**: *NPP Cases* in the graph indicates that only cases with a non-parole period are included.