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Where am I now? Lawlink > NSW Sentencing Council > About Us
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About Us
Select a topic below to know more about the NSW Sentencing Council:
Who we are
How to contact the Sentencing Council
Annual Reports
Council Membership
Student Internship
Who we are and what we do
Members of the Sentencing Council include representatives of victims’ support groups and the community plus government agencies (eg NSW Police Force, Department of Corrective Services) as well as former judges and legal practitioners such as the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions and the Senior Public Defender.
The Council advises the NSW Attorney General on sentencing matters. It was established in 2003, the first in Australia, by Part 8B of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.
The Council independently and impartially:
- monitors and reports annually to the Attorney General on sentencing trends and practices
- prepares research papers or reports on particular sentencing matters at the request of the Attorney General
- educates the public on sentencing matters and
- advises and consults with the Attorney General on standard non-parole periods and on guideline judgments.
as set out in Section 100J of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.
The Sentencing Council also seeks information from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) of the Attorney General’s Department and the Judicial Commission of New South Wales in matters of sentencing.
The Council meets once a month, more often if required. Members maintain contact outside meetings for consultations. Observers can attend meetings in the absence of appointed members but are not able to vote at meetings.
How to contact the Sentencing Council
The Council is supported by an Executive Unit. Contact details.
Annual Reports
Each year the NSW Sentencing Council compiles a report on sentencing trends and practices.
Council Members
Members of the NSW Sentencing Council
The NSW Sentencing Council has up to 15 members. Each member is appointed by the Attorney General and chosen from specified fields with different backgrounds. The appointments are for a fixed term, generally two years.
The Council is required to consist of:
- a retired judicial officer (who is also Chair of the NSW Sentencing Council)
- a member with expertise or experience in law enforcement
- four members with expertise or experience in criminal law or sentencing - of whom one is to have expertise or experience in the area of prosecution and one is to have expertise or experience in the area of defence
- one member with expertise or experience in Aboriginal justice matters
- four are to be persons representing the general community, of whom two are to have expertise or experience in matters associated with victims of crime
- one member with expertise or experience in corrective services
- one member with expertise or experience in juvenile justice
- one member who is a representative of the Attorney General’s Department and
- one member with academic or research expertise or experience of relevance to the functions of the Sentencing Council.
Currently, the NSW Sentencing Council consists of 14 members.
Student Internships
The Council operates a student internship program, whereby students provide research and administrative assistance in exchange for work experience. In some circumstances, academic credit can be gained for work performed during the internship.
Final year law students are encouraged to apply to the Council for acceptance into the internship program. Copies of the application form can be obtained by contacting the Executive Officer via email.
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