What happens next
Understand what may happen after you contact Police and what you can do next. This page covers the Police process, actions you can take after reporting, and where to find court or justice process information.
After you contact Police
After you contact Police, there are several steps that may happen.
The process can be different depending on the situation, the information available, and any safety risks.
Police may not be able to complete every step in every case, but the steps below show the main path a report may follow.
| 1. REQUEST | You ask for our help or tell us what happened. |
| 2. RECORD | We enter your request into our system and give you a reference number. |
| 3. ASSESS | We work out how we can help and what response is needed. |
| 4. ASSIGN | Your report is assigned to the most suitable area to follow-up. |
| 5. ACTION | We decide what action we can take and carry it out where appropriate. |
| 6. OUTCOME | This may involve recovering property, find the person responsible, court or supported resolutions. |
| 7. FILE | We file or close your case if no further action is available and can review it if we receive more information. |
Things you can do after reporting
After you make a report, you can ask for an update, add information to your report, or give feedback about your experience with Police.
- Check progress or update your report
Ask for an update after you have made a report.
- Give Police more information or further evidence
Add new information (documents, photos, messages, or other evidence) to your report.
- Give feedback about Police
Share feedback about your experience with Police, including what went well, what could be improved, or how to make a complaint.
Court and justice process
If a case moves through the justice process, this section links to information about court, sentencing, after sentencing, and appeals.
- Going to court
Information about preparing for court, court documents, hearing schedules, and where to find court information.
- Learn more about going to court
- At court
Information about what to expect when you arrive at court, including court security and courtroom information.
- Learn what to expect at court
- Sentencing
Information about how the court decides a sentence, Victim Impact Statements, and court-ordered reparation.
- Learn more about sentencing
- Learn more about Victim Impact Statements
- Learn more about reparation
- After sentencing
Information about what can happen after sentencing, including appeals, reparation, parole, and victim notifications.
- Learn more about what happens after sentencing
- Learn more about Victim Notification Register
- If there is an appeal
Information about what can happen if a court decision is appealed.
- Read the Victims’ Guide to Appeals (PDF, 427KB)
Give feedback
Share feedback about your experience with Police, including what went well, what could be improved, or how to make a complaint.