Serious offenders more likely to go to prison for longer times: new report

Murderers and rapists are more likely to be jailed, and are then spending longer behind bars, than they did 20 years ago.

Victorian offenders are more likely to go to prison for serious offences and will spend longer behind bars now than they did 20 years ago, a new report reveals.

Following a review of sentencing data from the last two decades, the latest report from the Sentencing Advisory Council examined long-term trends in the number of people sentenced for serious offences, the proportion who were jailed and the length of sentences.

The offences analysed included homicides, serious violence offences, serious drug offences and serious sex offences.

The analysis found fewer serious offences — including cases of culpable driving causing death, intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury and trafficking non-commercial quantities of drugs — were being sentenced in Victoria’s County and Supreme courts each year compared to 20 years ago.

This is despite the state’s population boom. While Victoria’s population ballooned to 6.7 million in 2020 from 4.9 million in 2004, the number of people sentenced in the higher courts has decreased by about 14 per cent.

The report notes this is reflective of the significant changes to the types of sentences imposed and legislative changes, such as the abolition of suspended sentences.

However, more people committing serious offences are being sentenced to time behind bars — particularly during the last five years.

The imprisonment rate has almost doubled in the last two decades — the report notes this is likely due to more cases being finalised in the summary jurisdiction, changes to bail laws and sentencing schemes.

As an example, the imprisonment rate for intentionally causing serious injury has increased by almost 130 per cent, while immediate custodial sentences for cultivating a commercial quantity of narcotic plants have increased to almost 100 per cent in the last five years.

Additionally, the report notes that serious offenders are also being handed longer prison sentences.

People sentenced for murder in the early 2000s received an average of 19.5 years behind bars but by 2020 that had increased to an average of 24.5 years.

Similarly, incest sentences have also increased by an average of four years, with offenders now spending almost 10 years behind bars.

Council chair Emeritus Professor Arie Freiberg AM said Victoria’s prison population had more than doubled in recent years, much of which was attributable to changes in the state’s bail and parole laws — meaning more people were spending time on remand.

“The findings of this new report suggest there is also another explanation: people are spending longer in prison for serious offences,” he said.

“This is almost certainly because courts are responding to a raft of legislative reforms as well as changing community attitudes.”