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04related terms
May 2026reviewed
In detail
How imprisonment works in practice.
Imprisonment is the most serious sentencing outcome in Victoria. A court imposes a term of imprisonment when it concludes that no other sentence adequately reflects the seriousness of the offending or meets the purposes of sentencing under the Sentencing Act 1991. The non-parole period is the minimum time the accused must serve before becoming eligible for parole. Time spent on remand before sentencing is usually credited against the sentence. Courts must not impose imprisonment if a less restrictive sentence is appropriate in the circumstances.
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