Sentencing decisions in New South Wales courts between 1978 and 1982 for two offense categories, robbery with major assault, and robbery with minor assault were studied. Data show that approximately 15 percent of offenders sentenced for robbery with major assault avoided imprisonment altogether. The proportion of offenders who received noncustodial sentences for the less serious category of offenses - robbery with minor assault - was considerably higher: approximately one-third. In summary, whereas seven persons out of twenty avoided imprisonment for robbery with minor assault, only three persons out of twenty avoided imprisonment for robbery with major assault.