Queensland Consolidated Acts

PENALTIES AND SENTENCES ACT 1992 - SECT 3

3 Purposes

The purposes of this Act include—

(a) collecting into a single Act general powers of courts to sentence offenders; and

(b) providing for a sufficient range of sentences for the appropriate punishment and rehabilitation of offenders, and, in appropriate circumstances, ensuring that protection of the Queensland community is a paramount consideration; and

(c) encouraging particular offenders to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in proceedings or investigations about major criminal offences; and

(d) promoting consistency of approach in the sentencing of offenders; and

(e) providing fair procedures—

(i) for imposing sentences; and

(ii) for dealing with offenders who contravene the conditions of their sentence; and

(f) providing sentencing principles that are to be applied by courts; and

(g) making provision so that offenders are not imprisoned for non-payment of fines without the opportunity of obtaining a fine option order; and

(h) promoting public understanding of sentencing practices and procedures; and

(i) generally reforming the sentencing laws of Queensland; and

(j) providing for the imposition of an offender levy.