8. Are penalties in NSW getting more lenient?

The table below shows the percentages of convicted (adult) offenders imprisoned by either the Local or Higher Courts where their principal offence^ was either a violent crime or a property crime from 2004 to 2008.

Year	Percentage of offenders imprisoned for violent crime*	Percentage of offenders imprisoned for property crime**
2004	13.8	17.4
2005	14.0	17.1
2006	14.6	16.7
2007	14.3	16.6
2008	14.7	18.3

^ Where a person has been found guilty of more than one offence, the offence which received the most serious penalty is the principal offence.

* Includes Homicide and related offences, Sexual assault and related offences, Acts intended to cause injury (which includes Assault), Abduction and related offences, Other dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, Harassment and related offences, and Blackmail and extortion.

** Includes Robbery, Unlawful entry with intent/burglary, break and enter, Theft and related offences, Deception and related offences, Property damage and environmental pollution and Trespass.


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