How Should We Tackle Crime in Public Housing?
Drug dealing, domestic violence, malicious damage – public housing estates have always had a reputation for being hotspots for criminal activity, and over the years a multitude of proposals have been implemented in an attempt to address these issues, with...
When Online Jokes Get Serious!
It’s no secret that what you post on social media is not private. Back in the days before Facebook and Twitter, poor attempts at humour could be made to your friends, without any likely criminal repercussions, and hopefully quickly forgotten....
You’re My Lawyer: Can You Downgrade My Charges?
If you are charged with a criminal offence, you will probably want the case to be over with as soon as possible, rather than having it drag out from court-date to court-date until it eventually reaches a defended hearing or...
Who do you call when you need help? The police apologist’s mantra
“Who do you call when YOU need help?” It’s a question that often comes up when we write blogs highlighting misconduct, corruption or questionable incidents involving members of the police force. The reality is that police have an important role...
When Can Magistrates and Judges be Fired?
We have previously written about what it takes to become a magistrate or judge, and the high standards of ethics that are expected from those who serve as judicial officers. But under what circumstances can their positions be termination? The...
Should women make up half of all judges?
Female participation in the workforce is an issue that bubbles to the surface again and again in Australia, with state and federal governments trying to tackle the question of how to boost the number of women performing in key roles...
Police Report an ‘Explosion’ in Online Child Sex Offences
A 47-year-old man has been charged with committing 145 child sex offences on 28 children, including 8 counts of ‘grooming a child under 16 to procure engagement in sexual activity’ in what has been described as one of the most...
Should Our Government Fund Innocence Projects?
Imagine that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, arrested without warning, charged, questioned, subjected to a trial, and then convicted for a crime you didn’t commit. It’s a sobering thought, and it happens more often than...
The Right to Protest: A Thing of the Past
Protesting has long been a way for people to publicly express their views and demonstrate their grievances. It has achieved a great deal since the late 1800s; from workers rights to female suffrage, and from civil rights to environmental protections....
When False Accusations Lead to Tragedy
When people make accusations against others, they normally think that they are justified. A bit of sketchy information combined with emotions like frustration and anger can all work together to make a hunch seem like solid reality. In trivial circumstances,...
