SENTENCING ACT 1995

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1 -- Preliminary  

• 1 Short title
 
• 2 Commencement
 
• 3 Application of this Act
 
• 4A Courts and Tribunals (Electronic Processes Facilitation) Act 2013 Part 2 applies
 
• 4 Terms used
 
• 5 Civil liability not affected

PART 2 -- General matters

Division 1 -- Sentencing principles  

• 6 Principles of sentencing
 
• 7 Aggravating factors
 
• 8 Mitigating factors
 
• 9AA Plea of guilty, sentence may be reduced in case of

Division 2A -- Sentencing where declared criminal organisations involved  

• 9A Terms used
 
• 9B Application of this Division
 
• 9C Principal objectives of sentencing for offences where declared criminal organisation involved
 
• 9D Mandatory minimum sentences where declared criminal organisation involved
 
• 9E Section 9D not applicable to persons aged under
 
• 9F Further provisions relating to mandatory minimum sentences imposed under section 9D
  9G. Eligibility for parole

Division 2 -- Miscellaneous  

• 9 Statutory penalty, effect of
 
• 10 Change of statutory penalty, effect of
 
• 11 Person not to be sentenced twice on same evidence
 
• 12 Common law bonds abolished

PART 3 -- Matters preliminary to sentencing

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

• 13 Term used: victim

Division 2 -- General  

• 14 M Offender to be present for sentencing
 
• 14A Video link, use of for sentencing
 
• 15 Court may inform itself as it thinks fit
 
• 16 Adjourning sentencing
 
• 17 Court’s powers on adjourning
 
• 18 Committal for sentence

Division 3 -- Information about the offender  

• 20 Pre-sentence report, court may order
 
• 21 Pre-sentence report, content of
 
• 22 Pre-sentence report, preparation of
 
• 23 Offender’s time in custody etc., information about

Division 4 -- Information about victims etc.  

• 23A Terms used
 
• 24 Victim impact statement, who may give
 
• 25 Victim impact statement, content of
 
• 26 Court’s functions in relation to victim impact statement

Division 5 -- Mediation  

• 27 Mediation report, court may order and receive
 
• 28 Mediation report, content of
 
• 29 Mediation report, preparation of
 
• 30 Mediation report, court’s powers as to

Division 6 -- Other pending charges  

• 31 Term used: pending charge
 
• 32 Pending charges, offender may request court to deal with
 
• 33 Pending charges, court may deal with

PART 3A -- Pre-sentence order

Division 1 -- General  

• 33A When PSO may be made
 
• 33B PSO, nature of
 
• 33C Making a PSO
 
• 33D PSO, standard obligations of
 
• 33E PSO, primary requirements of
 
• 33F Supervision requirement
 
• 33G Programme requirement
 
• 33H Curfew requirement
 
• 33HA Electronic monitoring requirement
 
• 33I Performance reports about offenders on PSOs
 
• 33J Sentencing day, offender to be sentenced on etc.
 
• 33K Sentencing offender after PSO

Division 2 -- Amending and enforcing PSOs  

• 33L Term used: requirement
 
• 33M Application to amend or cancel PSO
 
• 33N Court may confirm, amend or cancel PSO
 
• 33O Re-offending while subject to PSO, consequences of
 
• 33P Breach etc. of PSO, powers of CEO (corrections) and court
 
• 33Q Facilitation of proof

PART 4 -- The sentencing process  

• 34 M Explanation of sentence
 
• 35 Reasons for imprisonment to be given in some cases
 
• 36 Warrant of commitment to be issued if imprisonment imposed
 
• 37 Correction of sentence
 
• 37A Offender reneging on promise to assist authorities may be re-sentenced
 
• 38 Imprisonment by JPs, magistrate to review

PART 5 -- Sentencing options  

• 39 Natural person, sentences for
 
• 40 Body corporate, sentences for
 
• 41 If statutory penalty is imprisonment only: sentencing options
 
• 42 If statutory penalty is imprisonment and fine: sentencing options
 
• 43 If statutory penalty is imprisonment or fine: sentencing options
 
• 44 If statutory penalty is fine only: sentencing options
 
• 45 Spent conviction order, making and effect of

PART 6 -- Release of offender without sentence  

• 46 Release without sentence

PART 7 -- Conditional release order  

• 47 When CRO may be imposed
 
• 48 CRO, nature of
 
• 49 CRO, requirements of
 
• 50 Court may direct offender to re-appear
 
• 51 Ensuring compliance with CRO
 
• 52 Enforcing CRO

PART 8 -- Fine  

• 53 Considerations when imposing fine
 
• 54 One fine for 2 or more offences
 
• 55 Apportionment of fine between joint offenders
 
• 56 Assault victim may be awarded fine
 
• 57 Enforcement of fine
 
• 57A Enforcement of fine by means of WDO
 
• 57B Court may cancel s. 57A order on application of Fines Enforcement Registrar
 
• 58 Imprisonment until fine paid
 
• 59 Imprisonment if fine not paid
 
• 60 Application of fine etc.

PART 8A -- Suspended fine  

• 60A When fine may be suspended
 
• 60B Effect of suspending fine
 
• 60C Re-offender may be dealt with or committed
 
• 60D Alleging re-offending in court
 
• 60E How re-offender to be dealt with

PART 9 -- Community based order  

• 61 Pre-sentence report optional before imposing CBO
 
• 62 CBO, nature of
 
• 63 CBO, standard obligations of
 
• 64 CBO, primary requirements of
 
• 65 Supervision requirement
 
• 66 Programme requirement
 
• 67 Community service requirement
 
• 67A Electronic monitoring requirement

PART 10 -- Intensive supervision order  

• 68 Pre-sentence report mandatory before imposing ISO
 
• 69 ISO, nature of
 
• 70 ISO, standard obligations of
 
• 71 Supervision requirement
 
• 72 ISO, primary requirements of
 
• 73 Programme requirement
 
• 74 Community service requirement
 
• 75 Curfew requirement
 
• 76A Electronic monitoring requirement

PART 11 -- Suspended imprisonment  

• 76 When imprisonment may be suspended
 
• 77 Effect of suspending imprisonment
 
• 78 Re-offender may be dealt with or committed
 
• 79 Re-offending, alleging in court
 
• 80 How re-offender to be dealt with

PART 12 -- Conditional suspended imprisonment

Division 1 -- Imposition and effect of CSI  

• 81 Certain courts may suspend imprisonment conditionally
 
• 82 Effect of CSI
 
• 83 CSI, standard obligations of
 
• 84 CSI, primary requirements of
 
• 84A Programme requirement
 
• 84B Supervision requirement
 
• 84C Curfew requirement
 
• 84CA Electronic monitoring requirement

Division 2 -- Consequences of re-offending  

• 84D Re-offender may be dealt with or committed
 
• 84E Re-offending, alleging in court
 
• 84F How re-offender to be dealt with

Division 3 -- Amending, cancelling and enforcing CSI requirements  

• 84G Term used: CSI requirement
 
• 84H Application to amend or cancel CSI requirement
 
• 84I Court may confirm, amend or cancel CSI requirement
 
• 84J Breach of CSI requirement, offence
 
• 84K Offence under s. 84J, procedure and penalty for
 
• 84L Additional powers to deal with s. 84J offender
 
• 84M Facilitation of proof

Division 4 -- Functions of speciality courts as to CSI  

• 84N Application of this Division
 
• 84O Speciality court may direct offender on CSI to appear
 
• 84P Speciality court to deal with re-offender
 
• 84Q Speciality court to deal with application to amend or cancel CSI
 
• 84R Speciality court to deal with proceedings for breaches

PART 13 -- Imprisonment

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

• 85 Terms used and calculations

Division 2 -- Imposing imprisonment  

• 86 Term of 6 months or less not to be imposed
 
• 87 Time on remand may be taken into account
 
• 88 Concurrent, cumulative or partly cumulative terms
 
• 89 Parole eligibility order, court may make
 
• 90 Life imprisonment for murder, imposing

Division 3 -- Release from imprisonment  

• 93 Release from parole term
 
• 94A Release on parole of prisoners subject to Prisoners (Interstate Transfer) Act 1983
 
• 94 Aggregation of parole terms for certain purposes
 
• 95A Eligibility for parole where certain mandatory minimum sentences imposed
 
• 95 Release from fixed term that is not parole term
 
• 96 Release from life imprisonment

Division 4 -- Miscellaneous  

• 97 Sentence Administration Act 2003, operation of
 
• 97A Declaration of serious violent offence for purposes of Sentence Administration Act 2003 Part 5A

PART 14 -- Indefinite imprisonment  

• 98 Indefinite imprisonment, superior court may impose
 
• 99 Other terms not precluded by indefinite imprisonment
 
• 100 When indefinite imprisonment commences
 
• 101 Release from indefinite imprisonment

PART 15 -- Other orders forming part of a sentence

Division 1 -- General matters  

• 102 General provisions
 
• 103 Disqualification order, calculation of term of
 
• 104 Disqualification may be for life

Division 2 -- Disqualification orders  

• 105 Driver’s licence disqualification
 
• 106 Firearms licence etc. disqualification
 
• 107 Marine qualification disqualification
 
• 108 Passport, surrender of etc.

PART 16 -- Reparation orders

Division 1 -- General matters  

• 109 Term used: reparation order
 
• 110 General provisions
 
• 111 Making a reparation order
 
• 112 Facts relevant to making reparation order
 
• 113 Victim’s behaviour and relationship relevant
 
• 114 Civil standard of proof applies
 
• 114A Victim may appeal against refusal of reparation order
 
• 115 Effect of reparation order on civil proceedings etc.

Division 2 -- Compensation order  

• 116 Terms used
 
• 117 Compensation order in favour of victim
 
• 118 Compensation order in favour of third party
 
• 119 Enforcing compensation order
 
• 119A Imprisonment until compensation paid, court may order

Division 3 -- Restitution order  

• 120 Making restitution order
 
• 120A Enforcing restitution order, Sheriff’s powers for
 
• 121 Enforcing restitution order, court’s powers for
 
• 122 Non-compliance with restitution order, offence

PART 17 -- Other orders and declarations not forming part of a sentence

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

• 123 General provisions

Division 2 -- Orders made under other Acts  

• 124 Restraining Orders Act 1997 s. 63 restraining order, s. 123 applies to
 
• 124A Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004 s. 13 offender reporting order, s. 123 applies to
 
• 124B Prohibited Behaviour Orders Act 2010 prohibited behaviour order, s. 123 applies to
 
• 124C Orders under Criminal Organisations Control Act 2012

Division 3 -- Declarations  

• 124D Terms used
 
• 124E Serial family violence offenders
 
• 124F Serial family violence offender declaration -- related matters
 
• 124G Disqualification if declaration made

PART 18 -- Amending and enforcing conditional release orders and community orders

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

• 125 Term used: requirements; and interpretation

Division 2 -- Amending or cancelling conditional release orders and community orders  

• 126 Application to amend or cancel
 
• 127 Court may confirm, amend or cancel

Division 3 -- Re-offending while subject to a conditional release order or a community order  

• 128 Re-offender may be dealt with or committed
 
• 129 Re-offending, alleging in court
 
• 130 How re-offender may be dealt with

Division 4 -- Breaching a conditional release order or a community order  

• 131 Breach of requirement, offence
 
• 132 Offence under s. 131, procedure and penalty for
 
• 133 Additional powers to deal with s. 131 offender

Division 5 -- Miscellaneous  

• 134 Facilitation of proof
 
• 135 Compliance with CRO or community order to be taken into account
 
• 136 Re-sentencing, court’s powers for

Division 6 -- Functions of speciality courts  

• 136A Application of Division
 
• 136B Term used: court
 
• 136C Court may direct offender on community order to appear
 
• 136D Court to deal with re-offender
 
• 136E Court to deal with application to amend or cancel community order
 
• 136F Court to deal with proceedings for breaches

PART 18A -- Review of conditional orders  

• 136G Terms used
 
• 136H Application to review
 
• 136I Court may confirm, amend or cancel

PART 19 -- Royal Prerogative of Mercy  

• 137 Royal Prerogative of Mercy not affected
 
• 138 Pardon, effect of
 
• 139 Order to pay money, Governor may remit
 
• 140 Petition for mercy may be referred to Court of Appeal
 
• 141 Offender may be paroled
 
• 142 Strict security life imprisonment, exercise of Prerogative in case of

PART 20 -- Miscellaneous  

• 143 Guideline judgments by Court of Appeal
 
• 143A Sentencing guidelines for courts of summary jurisdiction
 
• 144 Chief Justice may report to Parliament
 
• 145 Non-compliance with procedural requirements, effect of
 
• 145A Existence of circumstances of aggravation is question for judge to determine
 
• 146 Questions of fact in superior courts
 
• 147 Operation of other Acts not affected
 
• 147A Monitoring requirements: additional provisions
 
• 148 Regulations
 
• 149 Rules of court

PART 21 -- Transitional and review provisions  

• 150A Sentencing Amendment Act 2012 amendments, application of
 
• 150AB Application of Sentencing Legislation Amendment Act 2016 amendments about circumstances of aggravation
 
• 150B Review of s. 9AA
 
• 150 Review of Act
 
• 151 Review of amendments made by Family Violence Legislation Reform Act 2020
• SCHEDULE 1A -- Relevant indictable and simple offences for purposes of Part 2 Division 2A
• SCHEDULE 1 -- Acts, fines under which are not to be credited to the Consolidated Account