Females Sentenced to be Gang Raped
While there are certainly problems with the Australian criminal justice system, we are lucky enough to live in a society where punishments are not designed to inflict cruelty, degradation and humiliation. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for some countries,...
Chemical Castration of Child Sex Offenders: Is it Effective?
There has been a national crackdown on child sex offending in recent months, with NSW Premier Mike Baird announcing tougher maximum penalties and ‘standard non-parole periods’ earlier this year. But NSW Justice Minister Troy Grant wants to go one step...
Sex Work and the Law
From Hollywood to vocal anti-trafficking groups, sex work has long been demonised as criminal behaviour. However, Amnesty International has now recognised that this should not be the case, passing a resolution saying that sex work should be decriminalised. At an...
Eviction for Public Housing Tenants who Commit Crimes
There are currently 60,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in NSW, signifying the huge demand that exists for the service. And the wait is becoming excruciatingly lengthy - with families in Grafton, Byron Bay, Port Macquarie and...
Does Prison Overcrowding Warrant Lighter Penalties?
Prison overcrowding is a major problem right across the state, with some prisons already operating at more than 70% beyond capacity. Many of our previous blogs have discussed the impact of overcrowding on the ability of inmates to access education...
Inmates Throw Human Waste at Robert Hughes
Robert Hughes, the former Hey Dad! Star, ended up in prison after being convicted of the sexual assault and indecent assault of four young girls. Back in April 2014, he was found guilty by a jury in the Downing Centre...
Overturning a Jury Verdict: The Case of M v The Queen
For centuries, juries have played an important role in criminal trials, scrutinising all the evidence that is presented by both sides before attempting to reach a unanimous verdict. But is a jury’s verdict always the end of the matter -...
Should We Help Those Who Are Attracted to Children?
Child sex offenders are regarded with great disdain by the general public, with many suggesting that we should ‘lock’em up and throw away the key’, or even castrate or execute them. But when it comes to those who admit being...
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...
Honest and Reasonable Mistake About Age in Child Sex Cases
Imagine this: You’re 17 or 18 years old and go out one night to a party with some friends, where you meet a person who says they are 16. You start chatting to them, one thing leads to another and...
