The Frankston ARC List is a specialist sitting of the Frankston Magistrates' Court list that operates under the Assessment and Referral Court program, a therapeutic and pre-sentence stream of the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. Unlike a standard summary criminal mention, the ARC List brings together a magistrate, a clinical case manager and a support team to work with accused people whose offending is linked to a diagnosed mental illness or a cognitive impairment. This page publishes the daily Frankston ARC List so that accused persons, defence lawyers, support workers, families and clinicians can confirm the day's hearings, courtroom allocations and scheduled times before attending court on Fletcher Road.
The Assessment and Referral Court List formally commenced in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria in March 2010, and its first sitting day was 21 April 2010. Frankston became one of the metropolitan expansion sites when the Frankston ARC commenced in July 2018, following the launch of the Moorabbin ARC in January 2018. Since then the program has continued to expand across Victoria into venues such as Latrobe Valley, Korumburra, Wonthaggi, Sale, Bairnsdale and Bendigo, reflecting sustained government investment in solution-focused justice for people living with complex health conditions.
What the Frankston ARC List Is and How It Differs From a Standard Hearing
The ARC List is a pre-sentence court. That means a matter is referred into the list, worked through over a period of intensive case management and judicial supervision, and then returned to the court for sentencing at the end of the episode. Importantly, the magistrate retains the full range of sentencing options available in the mainstream court once the ARC episode concludes, including the power to impose a term of imprisonment. Participation does not remove the seriousness of the charges. It changes the pathway by which the underlying causes of offending are addressed before a final outcome is reached.
Frankston is one of only a limited number of Victorian courts to operate the ARC program, which places it alongside the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP) offered at most major metropolitan courts. Where CISP clients receive, on average, around four months of individualised case management, ARC participants are held under closer judicial oversight, appearing before the same ARC magistrate on a regular basis to discuss their progress against an individual support plan.
Who Is Eligible for the Frankston ARC List
Eligibility for the ARC List is set out in the Magistrates' Court Act 1989 (Vic). To be considered, an accused person generally needs to have a diagnosed mental illness or a cognitive impairment, and the two conditions the program targets most directly include intellectual disability, acquired brain injury and autism spectrum conditions. The offending must fall within the Frankston court's catchment area, and the person is usually expected to live within that catchment, although a magistrate retains discretion on that point. Because participation is voluntary, the accused person must agree to have the matter heard in the ARC stream.
- A diagnosed mental illness and/or a cognitive impairment such as an intellectual disability, acquired brain injury or autism spectrum condition.
- Offending committed within the relevant ARC catchment area served by Frankston.
- A demonstrable link between the underlying condition and the frequency or severity of the offending.
- Willingness to participate, since the ARC is a voluntary, consent-based program.
- A formal assessment by an ARC case manager confirming suitability against the legislated criteria.
How a Matter Reaches the Frankston ARC List
A referral must be made before any matter can be heard in the ARC. A referral can come from a wide range of people, including the accused person, their family, a community service organisation, a magistrate, Victoria Police, a defence lawyer or the Court Integrated Services Program. The guidance from the Magistrates' Court of Victoria is that a referral and adjournment into the ARC should be made at the earliest opportunity, which can occur at a bail hearing or a mention hearing. Contested bail hearings, by contrast, are heard in the mainstream court rather than the ARC.
- Confirm the offence was committed within an ARC catchment area and check the eligibility criteria.
- Seek a referral into the ARC and complete the referral form for the relevant court.
- Provide the ARC with diagnostic evidence supporting the mental illness or cognitive impairment.
- Attend an assessment with an ARC clinician or case manager.
- Enter a formal plea once accepted, before an individual support plan is approved.
- Attend the ARC hearing and return regularly to review progress with the ARC magistrate.
What Happens During an ARC Episode
Once an accused person is accepted, a formal plea is entered before the court approves an individual support plan. That plan sets out the goals to be worked on during the ARC episode, which can include engagement with a general practitioner, mental health treatment, drug and alcohol support, stable accommodation, vocational training and reconnection with family. The person then returns to court on a recurring basis so the magistrate can monitor compliance. If the support plan is not being met, the magistrate can transfer the matter back to the mainstream court for sentencing, which is one reason the daily Frankston ARC List can change from one sitting to the next.
The hearings themselves are deliberately less formal than a conventional courtroom. The therapeutic model is designed to keep participants "in the court's view" so that treatment, referrals and support services are coordinated around the person rather than delivered in isolation. This approach reflects the broader purpose of the Magistrates' Court of Victoria, which hears more than 90 per cent of all criminal and civil matters that come before Victorian courts and increasingly relies on specialist lists to address the drivers of repeat offending.
Evidence and Outcomes: What the Research Shows
The ARC List has been the subject of Australian recidivism research, which gives the program a stronger evidence base than many diversionary initiatives. Peer-reviewed analysis of the ARC List in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria found that successful program completion was the single most significant predictor of either not reoffending or taking longer to reoffend, ahead of factors such as gender and the severity of the pre-program offence. One two-year recidivism study reported that successful completion of the ARC List reduced recidivism for around 50 per cent of participants diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Comparative research from other Australian jurisdictions points in a similar direction. A New South Wales study of 2,476 individuals identified as eligible for mental health court diversion found that those who were not diverted had a 43 per cent higher reoffending rate than those who were granted diversion. Predictors of both non-diversion and reoffending included being younger, being male, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, a primary personality or substance-use diagnosis, and non-violent charges. Taken together, these findings support the view that structured, clinically informed lists such as the Frankston ARC can meaningfully reduce repeat contact with the justice system.
Attending the Frankston Court for an ARC Matter
The Frankston Magistrates' Court is located on Fletcher Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, roughly 41 kilometres south-east of Melbourne's central business district, and serves the Frankston, bayside and Mornington Peninsula communities. Registry hours run Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:30pm, and the court is closed on weekends. Parking around the precinct is limited and largely on-street, so allowing extra time is sensible. Frankston railway station is within walking distance and multiple bus routes service the Frankston CBD near the court, which makes public transport a practical option on a busy list day.
In its mainstream criminal jurisdiction, the Frankston court hears and determines all summary offences, some indictable offences and conducts committal hearings. Its civil jurisdiction covers disputes up to $100,000 arising from debts, damages claims and other monetary matters, and it can make personal safety and family violence intervention orders. The court also operates a Children's Court on specified days, and support is available for eligible accused persons on bail through CISP, which frequently works alongside the ARC stream.
What to Bring and How to Prepare
- Photographic identification and any court summons, infringement notice or official correspondence about your matter.
- Diagnostic reports or clinical evidence relevant to an ARC referral or assessment.
- Contact details for your case manager, treating clinician or legal representative.
- Confirmation of your court date, time and courtroom, ideally checked against the published daily list before you travel.
- Enough time to clear security screening and locate the correct courtroom, so arriving 20 to 30 minutes early is advisable.
Because ARC hearings are listed alongside general criminal mentions, it is worth cross-checking the broader Victorian court lists if your day involves matters at more than one venue. Practitioners covering multiple metropolitan sittings often review the Melbourne Magistrates' Court daily list and the Dandenong ARC list on the same morning, since ARC streams run at several courts and case numbers can shift between them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ARC stand for on the Frankston court list?
ARC stands for the Assessment and Referral Court. On the Frankston list it identifies matters being managed through the specialist, pre-sentence stream for accused people with a diagnosed mental illness or cognitive impairment, rather than a standard summary criminal mention.
Is the ARC List a soft option or a way to avoid a penalty?
No. The ARC is a pre-sentence court, and at the end of an episode the magistrate's sentencing options are generally the same as in the mainstream court, including imprisonment. The program addresses the causes of offending before sentencing rather than replacing the sentence.
Can anyone refer a matter into the Frankston ARC List?
A referral can be made by a wide range of people, including the accused person, their family, community organisations, a magistrate, Victoria Police, a lawyer or CISP. A clinical assessment then confirms whether the person meets the legislated eligibility criteria.
How often will a participant need to attend court?
ARC participants appear before the same magistrate on a regular basis throughout their episode so progress against the individual support plan can be reviewed. The frequency depends on the plan and the person's circumstances.
Where exactly is the Frankston Magistrates' Court?
The court sits on Fletcher Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, about 41 kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD, with registry hours of 9:00am to 4:30pm on weekdays and close access to Frankston station and local bus routes.
Why has the matter I was watching moved off the ARC List?
If a participant does not comply with their support plan, the magistrate can transfer the matter back to the mainstream court for sentencing. This is one reason the daily ARC List is refreshed and can differ from earlier sittings, so it is best to check the current list before attending.