NSW Law Reform Commission sentencing Question Papers 8-12

PIAC’s submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission’s Sentencing Question Papers 8-12 focuses on the structure and hierarchy of sentencing options and the limited intermediate sentencing options available for offenders with complex needs including those who are homelessness, suffer from mental illness, a disability and drug and alcohol dependency. The Submission calls on the Commission to extend early diversion programs in NSW and extend the successful CREDIT and MERIT programs to a broader category of offenders. The Submission considers the operation of the Drug Court, the expansion of problem-solving approaches to justice and recommends the establishment of multi-systemic therapy programs for young people in the Criminal Justice System.