Victorians will have greater transparency over sentencing decisions under a Liberal and Nationals Government.
The Liberals and Nationals will expand the Sentencing Advisory Council’s SACStat database to include Children’s Court sentencing data, along with more comprehensive anonymised information on sentencing outcomes, ranges and trends, so Victorians can see what sentences are actually being handed down across the justice system.
The expanded SACStat database will give the public easy access to information including:
- Children’s Court sentencing data
- How long courts take to deliver judgments after a trial has concluded
- Sentencing ranges and trends
The Liberals and Nationals will also strengthen the Sentencing Advisory Council to independently initiate reviews of sentencing trends and practices, and report on whether sentencing practices reflect the intent of legislation and community expectations.
Victorians should be able to see how the laws passed by Parliament are being applied by the courts and whether sentencing outcomes are consistent with the penalties Parliament has set.
These changes will deliver greater transparency and accountability and help restore public confidence in Victoria’s justice system.
The Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: “Victorians deserve to have confidence in our justice system, and that starts with greater transparency about the sentences being handed down.”
“Just as we track crime data across the state, we will track sentencing data so Victorians can see what is happening in our courts.”
“When Parliament sets tough penalties for serious crimes, Victorians should be able to see whether those penalties are actually being reflected in sentencing decisions.”
Shadow Attorney-General, James Newbury, said: “Victorians should not need to be a lawyer to understand how our sentencing laws are being applied. We will make sentencing information clearer, more accessible and easier to understand.”
“Strengthening the Sentencing Advisory Council will provide greater scrutiny of sentencing outcomes and help ensure the laws passed by Parliament are working as intended.”
