Not a Crime Like Any Other: Sentencing Breaches of Domestic Violence Protection Orders

Abstract

The question of how to respond to domestic violence continues to be a significant issue in our communities. One of the underlying concerns of many of these initiatives is the role of criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Very low rates of criminal prosecution continue to be associated with domestic violence matters throughout most of Australia. One exception to this is the criminal prosecution of breaches of protection orders. In 2005, there were over 8,000 breaches of domestic violence orders prosecuted in Queensland. This article explores the role of sentencing in domestic violence matters through an examination of court responses to breach prosecutions.

Keywords: Domestic violence, criminal law, sentencing