This study finds that although suspended sentences were introduced as an alternative to prison, in New South Wales they appear to have had the opposite effect. Abstract Aim: To see whether the introduction of suspended sentences reduced the number of offenders receiving a fulltime sentence of imprisonment. Method: The number of persons receiving a prison...

Examines factors associated with early, late, and not guilty pleas in the District Court of NSW. Introduction There are well established practical, financial and emotional benefits of obtaining guilty pleas early in criminal proceedings. While criminal proceedings in NSW are most commonly resolved by a guilty plea (e.g., in 2012, 82% of criminal matters proved...

This study finds that offending on parole is less common than previous studies have suggested. Abstract Aim: To measure the rate of re-offending on parole and identify the predictors of both general and violent offending on parole. To describe the types of offences committed on parole. Method: The analysis was based on 9,604 offenders released...

This study finds evidence that parole is effective in reducing the risk of re-offending in Australia. Executive summary The current study sought to address four questions of importance to correctional policy: 1. Does unconditional release increase the risk, speed or seriousness of further offending compared with conditional release? 2. Does unconditional release increase the likelihood...

Summary: This briefing paper provides an overview of wholesale and retail gas prices in New South Wales and more broadly in the eastern Australian Market. The specific causes of gas price movements over recent years are discussed, as are consumption and supply forecasts. Note that this paper does not deal with debates around the environmental...