Should Killers Ever Inherit their Victims’ Property?
What happens if someone kills another in order to enjoy their inheritance a little earlier? It’s very likely that a lengthy prison sentence will follow a conviction for murder or manslaughter - but what about the money or property that...
Murderers to Stay in Prison unless they Reveal Location of Body
After serving a “non parole period” in prison, inmates are eligible to apply for release on parole. But for those serving life sentences in South Australian prisons, the process is about to get a whole lot harder, with the government...
Jury Asks Dead Man if Defendant is Guilty of Murder
How would you feel about a dead person being asked to decide your fate if you were on trial for murder? It’s certainly not the most conventional, or recommended, method of deciding guilt or innocence, but this was exactly what...
The Tragedy of Murder Suicides
News headlines over the weekend spoke of tragedy. In Kelso, in rural NSW, police discovered the bodies of well-known local couple Elie Issa and Nadia Cameron. Meanwhile, in Mayfield, Chicago, a family of three were found fatally shot. Although murder-suicides...
“Extreme Terror Tours” Seeks to Cash-In on Milat Murders
At the entrance to the Belanglo Forest, the ominous sign reads “Welcome to Belanglo State Forest. Please be Careful.” Back in 1994, notorious serial killer Ivan Milat was arrested over the murder of seven young backpackers, whose bodies were all...
How Are Prison Inmates Classified?
Andrew Peter Garforth, a current inmate at Goulburn prison has recently made headlines after it was announced that his security classification had been downgraded. Garforth was convicted in 1992 of the sexual assault and murder of a nine year old...
Naturopath Faces Charges for Prescribing Alternative Remedies
2015 has been a tough year for those who profess to support alternative medical treatments. April saw Belle Gibson’s empire crumble after it was revealed that she faked brain cancer in a bid to extort millions from members of the...
No Notoriety for Mass Murderers
The last decade has been marred by a number of deadly mass shootings around the world. In July 2012, the city of Aurora in Colorado was rocked by tragedy after lone shooter James Eagan Holmes unleashed a string of bullets...
Should Mothers Who Kill Their Babies Ever Escape a Prison Sentence?
Raising a newborn is a tough job for any mum, but for some it is a particularly difficult struggle. Postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, is a condition that affects around 16% of Australian women after childbirth, manifesting in...
Criminal Justice System Struggles to Deal with Mentally Ill
The US Supreme Court’s recent ruling that an inmate on death row has the right to a hearing to determine whether he is “mentally ill” and should not therefore be executed raises questions about how we treat those with mental...
