Is the System Softer on the Rich and Famous?
There seems to be a public perception that those who are rich and famous are more likely than the average citizen to avoid the consequences of breaking the law. But many prominent Australians have been imprisoned over the years -...
Domestic Violence Offenders to Wear Tracking Devices
GPS trackers are becoming an increasingly common tool of law enforcement. They can function both as a punishment as well as a preventative measure against future crimes taking place. They are currently used on those who commit child sex offences...
Cardinal George Pell to Face the Music
Allegations that Cardinal George Pell tried to cover up abuse by bribing a victim to keep quiet have once more been thrust into the spotlight at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Cardinal Pell has strongly...
The Dangers of Joyriding
The offence of larceny, or theft, requires an element of intention to permanently deprive the owner of the item. So is it still stealing if you were just borrowing the item? ‘Joyriding’ is where a car is taken and driven...
Arrested for ‘Man-Spreading’
For many of us, public transport is a convenient and relatively affordable way to travel. But those who don’t follow rules of common courtesy on trains and buses can be a source of annoyance for some passengers. The selfish habit...
Video Evidence in Domestic Violence Cases
A controversial new law has recently come into force allowing complainants in domestic violence cases to make recorded audio-visual statements, rather than written statements. The new laws allow for video footage obtained by police following an alleged domestic violence incident...
Law Makes it Tougher to Tap Phones
The ripple effect of the NSW Police phone tapping scandal has widened with the announcement of a new rule surrounding the issuing of warrants for covert surveillance. Under the rule, announced by NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, judges in the...
Human Rights Abuses on Nauru
Nauru: It’s the world’s smallest island nation, but it’s been making headlines in Australia of late. The island is the site of an Australian-run detention centre, which houses approximately 1000 asylum seekers in tent-like facilities. Conditions at the centre have...
Move Over DNA: Microbe Evidence May Be Coming
It may sound far-fetched, but could the microbes we all naturally carry around on our bodies be used to solve crimes? A group of researchers is currently looking into whether microbes can link people to crime scenes. What are microbes?...
Common Myths about ‘Section 10 Dismissals and Conditional Release Orders’
In NSW, non conviction orders are sometimes seen as a ‘second chance’ for people who are generally law-abiding citizens that ‘slip-up’ by committing relatively minor criminal offences. Getting a section 10 dismissal or conditional release order can help to avoid the potentially career-ending...
