Do Serco Prisons Encourage Reoffending?
Being incarcerated is a serious penalty and although it is intended to act as a deterrent to crime, statistics from the Australian Institute of Criminology have shown that there is a strong rate of reoffending by inmates after they have...
Why are suspended sentences increasing the prison population?
Suspended sentences were reintroduced into NSW in the year 2000. A suspended sentence is actually a good behaviour bond under section 12 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999. You will only be eligible for a suspended sentence is you...
What is a Citizens Arrest?
When we think about someone being arrested, it’s usually by police or other law enforcement officers, but did you know that any member of the public is legally entitled to arrest someone else? Under NSW legislation, in certain circumstances, a...
The Fight Against Illegal Brothels: Sydney Councils Spying
Local councils in Sydney have reportedly gone to extreme measures to catch and close down unregulated brothels, including paying private investigators to accept sexual services. A number of private investigators are apparently regularly employed to go into suspected brothels which...
My Experience at Justice Action
By Law Clerk, Sakina Islam Endorsed by Ugur Nedim Prior to joining the team at Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, I was given the opportunity to intern at Justice Action and work alongside prisoners, academics, victims of crime, ex-prisoners and general community...
Lesser Known Traffic Offences and Penalties
Drink driving and speeding are well known traffic offences, but there is also a range of other driving offences that can get you in trouble with the courts. When you are driving, it’s important to be aware of as many...
NSW Consorting Laws Upheld by High Court
A recent bid to have controversial NSW consorting laws repealed has been unsuccessful, with the High Court upholding the current legislation. Habitual consorting laws have been around since 1929, but were recently reviewed and updated to deal with an alleged...
Police Body Cameras could be used as Evidence of Domestic Violence in Court
The rollout of police body cameras was announced earlier this year. Although costing millions of dollars, the initiative has been greeted optimistically as a positive step towards reducing crime and police misconduct, and quickly resolving disputed versions of events. Police...
Keeping Your Friends Close? Police Incursions into Social Media
The case of Sondra Prince in the United States certainly provides food for thought on the issue of police powers. Utilising a real woman’s identification and photos (taken from her phone), the US Drug Enforcement Agency proceeded to set up...
Demerit Points for Illegally Using Disability Parking Spots?
While the NSW government has been getting rid of speed cameras that aren’t preventing crashes, penalties for parking in disabled zones may get tougher, with the introduction of demerit points on the table. NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay called the...
