Legal System

Our justice system is broken. The way we deal with crime simply isn’t working any more.

What we're doing just ain't working. Photo: Herald Sun

Over the last 30 years, the number of Australians in prison has tripled. It has grown year on year four times faster than the Australian population.

This is unsustainable and is placing extraordinary strain on Justice Department budgets around the country. In fact, we now spend $3 billion dollars a year keeping people in prison.

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  • St. Michael says:

    06:43pm | 30/11/12

    You seem to be having little trouble doing that which you criticise most, Criminologist.  Whining “When are we going to become more concerned about victims?” assumes (a) there’s no care about victims and (b) that present methods don’t in fact create less victims.  All the stats are against you on… Read more »

  • St. Michael says:

    06:37pm | 30/11/12

    If you think that marley’s a refugee and open borders supporter, shirley, you clearly either don’t read enough or haven’t learned how. Read more »

 

The public knows something is wrong with the common law in England and its former colonies. A 2011 poll found that Australian judges are less trusted than bus drivers, police, hairdressers, and chefs, and a US poll in 2012 found that 92 per cent want change to the civil system, and 41 per cent want fundamental change.

What is justice, anyway? Photo: Herald Sun

Unlike the common law, journalism is a truth-seeking occupation; the basic obligation is to tell the customers what is really going on. Reporters thus have a duty to explore the reality of our adversary system.

Common lawyers, including academics and judges, cannot help. Law schools teach what the common law is, not what ails it or the cure (let alone where it came from or how the other system works).

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  • rod sexton says:

    05:54pm | 24/10/12

    Journalism is a truth-seeking occupation’ - tongue-in-cheek of course Evan! Read more »

  • St. Michael says:

    05:36pm | 24/10/12

    And yet, Trude, only a few months ago—19 July 2012, to be exact—you were championing the presumption of innocence in the context of online security: http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/youve-got-mail-asio-wants-to-read-it-all-of-it/asc/ What changed to flip you so drastically from proud Benthamite to believing the justice system doesn’t work? Read more »

 

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