Assaults on emergency services workers

On 27 July 2020, the Attorney General asked the Sentencing Council to review the sentencing for offences involving assaults on police officers, correctional staff, youth justice officers, emergency services workers and health workers. 

Report

The Sentencing Council transmitted its report (PDF, 1.4 MB) to the Attorney General on 28 July 2021.

The NSW Government provided a response (PDF, 398.4 KB).

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Assaults on Frontline Emergency and Health Workers) Act 2022 was passed on 11 October 2022. The reforms came into effect on 18 October 2022.

Other documents

Submissions

Background

Terms of reference

The terms of reference were received on 27 July 2020.

The Sentencing Council is to review the sentencing for offences involving assaults on police officers, correctional staff, youth justice officers, emergency services workers and health workers and make recommendations for any reform it considers appropriate.

In undertaking the review, the Sentencing Council should consider:

  • recent trends in assaults on these workers and in sentencing decisions
  • characteristics of offenders, including characteristics of reoffending offenders
  • sentencing options to deter this behaviour
  • sentencing options to reduce reoffending
  • a comparison of NSW sentencing decisions for assaults on these workers with equivalent sentencing decisions in other Australian jurisdictions
  • a comparison of NSW sentencing decisions for assaults on these workers with equivalent sentencing decisions for assaults generally
  • sentencing principles applied by NSW courts; and
  • any other matter the Council considers relevant. 

 

Last updated:

06 Feb 2024

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