Effect of New Technology on Court Trials
Technology is evolving at a staggering pace and this is never more evident than in the criminal justice system. New technology is continually affecting every stage of the forensic process, from the reporting of crime to the types of evidence...
Should Prison Inmates be Required to Earn their Keep?
In America, some jurisdictions have what they call a “pay to stay” prison fee system, where inmates must pay on a sliding scale in proportion to what they can afford. In others, inmates must cover the costs essentials including their...
No Right to Silence in ICAC Investigations
The right to silence has been a cornerstone of the Australia criminal justice system up until recently, when several legislative amendments have led to it’s dilution. Nowadays, adverse inferences can be drawn from a person’s decision not to answer questions...
Is the Tightening of Bail Laws in NSW making the Magistrate’s Role Redundant?
The flipping and flopping of politicians when it comes to bail laws is enough to make you mad. Just keeping abreast of the likely changes in order to decide whether and, if so, when to make a bail application (now...
Police Complaints NSW: Questions Over Officer Convictions
Due to the nature of their role, police officers are expected to behave in an honest and ethical manner, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. Increasingly, we are finding ourselves reading about police breaches of procedure, corruption, and violence...
How Much does a Criminal Lawyer Cost?
It’s no secret that lawyers have a reputation for being notoriously expensive. And with some charging upwards of $800 an hour, perhaps it’s no surprise that lawyers are not amongst the most loved professions in the world. On top of...
Mandatory Indefinite Sentencing – A Good Idea?
How would you feel if you were sent to prison for an indefinite period of time? Such a scenario had been proposed by the Victoria state government before its election defeat over the weekend In a bid for popularity, the...
FIFA Scandal: Is Our Political System Corrupt?
Australia has recently been accused of corruption in a report by the FIFA ethics committee into the World Cup bid for 2022. The Committee alleges that Australian officials broke the rules around bids and ethics and tried to buy votes,...
The Eternal Question – Is Criminality Genetic, Learned or Both – and does a ‘Criminal’ Gene Exist?
How would you feel if you could predict your likelihood of becoming a ‘criminal’ with a single genetic test? If such a test was available, would you take it? It might seem like something out of a science fiction film,...
How to Tell if a Subpoena is for a Legitimate Forensic Purpose
A subpoena is a document requiring a person or organisation to hand-over documents or other evidence that may be relevant to a court case, or to attend court as a witness. Although subpoenae are normally prepared by a party to...
