Intensive correction orders, or ICOs, allow offenders to serve sentences in the community, but under a strict set of restrictions and conditions.

They are designed to reduce the need for prison sentences – including weekend detention, which is soon to be phased out – and better promote community-based rehabilitation.

Attorney-General Simon Corbell introduced the sentencing reform bill to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

The move towards ICOs, which have been used interstate with some success, was supported by the ACT Law Society.

But the society's support was predicated on the courts, not the government, having the power over ongoing management of people who are subject to an ICO, including where there is a breach, or where a suspension or cancellation is required.

President Martin Hockridge said the ACT was now giving that power to the Sentence Administration Body, a government administrative body, rather than the courts.

"The society opposes the government's proposal to allow decisions related to breach, suspension and cancellation of the ICOs to be taken by the Sentence Administration Board rather than the sentencing court," he said.

"We believe that this class of decision – that can result in the imprisonment of offenders – should only be made by a court."

Mr Corbell said he was well aware of the society's concerns, but decided using the Sentence Administration Board was the best course.

He said the board would be able to deal with breaches or other issues with more efficiency. The board was also already performing similar functions through its management of inmate breaches of parole.

"It's very much a similar function and we believe it's appropriate to be placed with the SAB," Mr Corbell said.

"The SAB, we believe, would also be able to deal with breaches in a much more focused manner, and potentially in a much shorter timeframe than the courts would."

The society is also concerned by the deferral of plans for electronic monitoring of offenders.

That was an option that had been discussed during the reform process, with the potential use of tracking bracelets raised for certain offenders.

Mr Hockridge said that option could still be introduced by regulation, rather than through the bill introduced into the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

But Mr Corbell said that option was very much still on the table, and he took a supportive view to the concept.

"I'm supportive of it, if we can enter into a cost-effective arrangement, perhaps leveraging off electronic monitoring regimes that operate in large jurisdictions like NSW, that would make a lot of sense," he said.

Mr Corbell said the ACT government was in active discussions with other states on the issue.

The bill will also expand the use of restorative justice, a reconciliation process between offenders with their victims.