Hero Cop Down and (Almost) Out
Sadly, not all police officers act with the level of professionalism and integrity that we expect of the force. But while several instances of police misconduct have made the headlines recently, there are also many officers who go above and...
Police Accused of Excessive Force as Arrest Video Goes Viral
The Queensland Police Union (QPU) has defended a police officer who was filmed pushing a mother to the ground during the arrest of her son at their Brisbane home over the weekend. The QPU says the officer acted “entirely appropriately” despite...
Life Sentences Without Parole: A Violation of Human Rights?
In his research paper from this month’s Human Rights Law Review, Andrew Dyer, a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Sydney, argues that not having a statutory charter of rights means Australia has been left without...
Useful Tips for Those with a Loved-One in Custody
Having a loved one in prison can be distressing, but being able to visit them from time to time can make the ordeal a little easier to bear. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to navigate the prison bureacracy in order...
Special Problems Faced by Women in Prison
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the flow of women into Australian prisons, and the amount of time they spend in there, has been steadily increasing for many years. From 1995 to 2002, the imprisonment rate for women increased...
Police Body Cameras in NSW: What Does the Law Say?
Since 2014, the NSW Police Force has spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on “Body Worn Video Cameras” (BWVs), starting first with Sydney and extending to rural areas. We’ve heard a lot about the pros and cons of body...
About Time! Convictions for Gay Sex to be Removed
Gay sex was historically a crime - one which saw hundreds of Australians receive criminal records which could affect their careers and travel plans, not to mention their reputation in the community. Now of course, there is no criminal law...
Man Faces Court for Allegedly Spreading HIV
The Downing Centre Court has only been open for two weeks since the summer break, but has already seen its fair share of interesting cases. Perhaps one of the most disturbing so far is that of a man accused of...
Police Face Fines for Preventing Public from Filming Them
Almost everyone has a camera phone these days - a handy tool for capturing timeless memories. But the proliferation of camera phones and CCTV cameras also has a valuable law enforcement function - increasing the likelihood of those acting outside...
Future Access to Lawyers: Who Will be Australia’s ‘Avvo’?
Seattle based AVVO.com has revolutionised access to the legal profession in the United States, establishing itself as a ‘one stop shop’ for those looking for lawyers and legal information. What is Avvo? Avvo.com is a website offering free access to...
