Family violence and sexual assault support service Centre Against Violence will be among those presenting to an inquiry into the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.
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The public hearings phase of the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee will be launched in Wangaratta on Wednesday, at the city's performing arts and convention centre.
The committee will hear from local stakeholders including CAV, Merri Health, the Wangaratta-based Centre for Continuing Education and victims advocate Lee Little.
"We know the current operation of our criminal justice system is of concern to a lot of people in Victoria, including those in regional areas," committee chair Fiona Patten said.
"This hearing will be an important opportunity for experts and community members in Northern Victoria to share their views and offer advice on how we might improve the system."
The inquiry is covering Victoria's growing remand and prison populations, strategies to reduce rates of criminal recidivism, judicial appointment processes and judges' knowledge for dealing with offenders.
Submissions have been received by the inquiry, including from the Sentencing Advisory Council chair Arie Freiberg.
"Young adult offenders are over-represented in Victoria's criminal justice system," the council stated.
"They make up 15 per cent of Victoria's adult population but constituted 22 per cent of sentenced offenders in Victoria's courts."
The council recommended tailoring community correction orders to allow for a specialised approach to young adult offenders.
They also found "Victoria's remand population is driving the increase in prison sentences".
"There were 3500 additional prison sentences imposed in 2017-18 than in 2013-14," the submission states.
"Nearly 1400 of those were time served prison sentences.
"This strongly suggests that Victoria's increasing remand population is causing courts to impose prison sentences more often, without actually requiring people to spend more time in prison."
Community Advocacy Alliance chair and former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Kelvin Glare said in his submission he wanted stronger oversight of judicial officers.
"I prosecuted literally thousands of cases in the Magistrates' Courts over a period of 21 years," he wrote.
"Apart from murder, I have never witnessed an offender receiving the maximum term set by parliament.
"When offenders repeatedly are treated leniently, respect for the law is lost."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The inquiry is still accepting submissions until September.
Members of the community can attend Wednesday's hearing at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre, however it will be subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
Details will be on the committee's website.
