On 23 November 2018, the Attorney General asked us to review sentencing for murder and manslaughter, including the penalties imposed for domestic and family violence homicides and the standard non-parole periods for murder.
Report
We transmitted our Report: Homicide to the Attorney General on 5 May 2021. It was released on 27 May 2021.
Other documents
The following documents were part of the consultation process for our Report:
Terms of reference
We received the following terms of reference on 23 November 2018:
The Sentencing Council is to review the sentencing for the offences of murder and manslaughter under sections 19A, 19B and 24 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), in particular:
- the standard non-parole periods for murder and whether they should be increased; and
- the sentences imposed for domestic and family violence related homicides.
In undertaking this review, the Sentencing Council should consider:
- sentences imposed for homicides and how these sentencing decisions compare with sentencing decisions in other Australian states and territories
- the impact of sentencing decisions on the family members of homicide victims
- the devastating impact of domestic and family violence on our community
- the application of section 61 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 in the context of life sentences imposed for murder
- the principles that courts apply when sentencing for these offences, including the sentencing principles applied in cases involving domestic and family violence; and
- any other matter the Council considers relevant.