‘Good character’ court references for murderers, pedophiles and rapists face Victorian ban

Good character’ references used to try to reduce sentences for convicted criminals – including pedophiles and murderers – are ...
NSW Government

NSW to abolish ‘good character’ at sentencing

The Minns Labor Government will legislate to stop convicted offenders relying on evidence of their ‘good character’ in sentencing proceedings.

NSW is ditching good character references in sentencing. Will the rest of the country follow?

Convicted criminals won’t be able to use references from family and friends to get more lenient sentences in NSW, but more widespread change could be hard.

NSW to remove ‘good character’ from being considered at sentencing hearings in nationwide first

Survivors of sexual abuse welcome the ‘monumental shift’ in how courts approach sentencing, while others say it could limit defendants’ rights ...

NSW government to abolish 'good character' evidence at sentencings of convicted offenders

Abolishing the use of "good character" evidence as a mitigating factor for offenders during sentencing proceedings will ...
body+soul

New reform puts an end to good character references in NSW courts – here's why that matters

In a bid to better hold perpetrators to account and protect victims, NSW has ruled that good character references will no longer be used to influence sentencing decisions.