U3AOS1 Topic 13: Fines, CCOs & Imprisonment

Imprisonment:

1. Is a sanction that involves the removal of an offender's freedom and right to liberty and keeping them separated from society for a certain period of time and placing them in prison.
2. Imprisonment terms can be served concurrently or cumulatively when an offender is charged with multiple offences: cumulative sentences are a sentence of imprisonment or detention that commences after the completion of another and concurrent sentences are a sentence of imprisonment or detention that is served at the same time as another when an offender has been convicted of more than one crime. Indefinite sentences can also be imposed but they are reserved to the most serious offenders.
3. The penalty scale for imprisonment is in terms of level, whereby each level denotes a specific potential maximum prison term and maximum fine. Level 1 is the most severe with a maximum prison term of life imprisonment, and level 9 is the least severe with a maximum prison term of six months. (Sentencing Advisory Council, 2023)

Fines:

1. Is a sanction that involves the offender being required to pay an amount of money to the state as a consequence for their wrongdoing. It can be imposed alone or in conjunction with other sanctions and with or without a conviction.
2. Fines are expressed in terms of penalty units, where one penalty unit is 197.59$ (as of July 2024).

Community Correction Order (CCO):

1. Refers to a non-custodial, supervised sentence that the offender serves in the community.
2. Does not involve a prison sentence.
3. Has conditions attached to the order that aim to make it a flexible order that can be tailored to the offender's circumstances and their offending. CCO's will involve core/standard conditions and at least one additional condition. Not abiding by these conditions is an offence.
4. Examples of standard/core conditions may include: the offender not reoffending while the CCO is in place, the offender not leaving Victoria without permission and the offender reporting to a community correctional centre and regularly meeting with their supervisor.
5. Examples of additional conditions may include (but are not limited to): abiding by a curfew, completing 600 hours of community service work and undertaking medical treatment or rehabilitation programs which includes programs for treating individuals with a drug or alcohol addiction.