Research Monograph 23 – Sentenced homicides in New South Wales 1994–2001

Paperback, 150 pp, January 2004, ISBN 0 7313 5605 5
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This study is a continuation of earlier work (Research Monograph 10) examining the various categories of culpable homicide, principally murder and manslaughter, and the sentences imposed for these offences. The study includes infanticide cases but excludes death from driving cases, which are not prosecuted as either murder or manslaughter, and murder-suicide cases which, by definition, cannot result in a sentence.

The study analyses all first instance culpable homicide cases decided between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2001 that resulted in the imposition of a sentence. In that 8-year period there were 421 homicide events involving 477 offenders, 469 victims and 536 convictions.

The study aims to determine whether there are distinct patterns or types of homicide offences that fall within particular sentencing ranges. While it is recognised that every case is unique and that offences can cover a very broad spectrum of culpability, patterns of similarity enable offences to be grouped and contrasted in a way that may assist the sentencing judge achieve consistency in sentencing.