Making threats a red flag for reoffending
Threats of violence could be an even greater risk factor for ongoing or escalating violence than previously thought, a new report has revealed.
Between 2015-19 Victorian courts sentenced just shy of 19,000 threat offences, more than half of which were threats to kill.
Offenders who make threats have an "exceptionally high" rate of subsequent and prior offending for the same behaviour, compared with other offences, according to research by Victoria's Sentencing Advisory Council released on Monday.
More than half (52 per cent) of people sentenced for making threats have priors for threatening behaviour within the past three years.
And even more (58 per cent) are sentenced again in the following three years.
Threat offences include making threats to kill, inflict serious injury, destroy or damage property, commit a sexual offence and assault an emergency worker.
"The extraordinarily high reoffending rates associated with threat offending suggests it is perhaps even more of a risk factor or ongoing or escalating offending than previously understood," the report says.
The research concludes it's important to recognise threats as a distinct and serious risk factor in criminal offending, separate to physical violence.
The recognition of threat offences as a red flag could help reduce re-offending.
Men were the main perpetrators, being sentenced in 88 per cent of cases.
They were also more likely than women to make threats in a family violence context and to make more serious threats.
Council chairman Arie Freiberg said threats of violence can be as serious, if not more so, than actual violence.
"They can cause immediate fear, they can cause long-term psychological harm, and in family violence contexts they can be used as a form of coercive control," Professor Freiberg said.
