Offences

Criminal offences are committed against the state. A person who is charged with a criminal offence may be arrested and bailed or remanded or summonsed to attend court. Criminal offences can be summary offences (which are finalised in the Magistrates Court or Children’s Court) indictable offences (which can be finalised either in the Magistrates Court or in the County Court or Supreme Court) or strictly indicatable offences (Which must be finalised in County Court or Supreme Court).

A person charged with a criminal offence must choose whether to plead guilty and proceed to be sentenced or to plead not guilty and go through a contested hearing or trial.

When a person is found guilty of criminal offences they will proceed to be sentenced by the court. In deciding on the appropriate sentence, the court will be guided by the maximum and minimum penalties stipulated for the offence in the legislation as well as the circumstances 

Criminal offences include violent offences like assault and conduct endangering life property offences like theft and fraud and offences relating to drug possession, drug supply or drug cultivation. Victoria also has offences relating to allowing minors to drink alcohol, and firearms and weapons offences. This section of the site contains articles about criminal offences in Victoria.