The New Laws on Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: The Diversionary Pathway
There is an available legislative framework for a NSW court to determine criminal proceedings where the accused or defendant has mental health issues relevant to the case. This legislative framework is echoed in The Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 (NSW) (‘The Act’). It is a response to the increasing contact with the criminal ...continue reading
Concerns Reignited for Prisoners Amid Further Outbreaks of COVID-19
By Poppy Morandin. There are reportedly 70 inmates in lockdown within Silverwater Correctional Complex after coming into close contact with a staff member who has tested positive for COVID-19. Within their advocacy efforts, The Greens have issued an open letter to Anthony Roberts, Minister for Corrections detailing the “significant concerns…about the lockdown at Silverwater ...continue reading
NSW Police Aim to Conduct 200,000 Mobile Drug Tests Representing an Increase From the Previous Year
By Poppy Morandin and Jimmy Singh. It has been revealed that NSW Police have set a target to detect almost 300,000 crimes this year and are using area-specific goals to achieve this result. The approach covers a number of detections in numerous categories of crime including theft, robbery, sexual assault, and drug detection. The ...continue reading
COVID-19 – Key Changes Made by District Courts Affecting all Criminal and Traffic Cases in NSW
From 30 March 2020, the District Court have implemented a number of changes to the way in which criminal cases are heard during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to remain up to date as arrangements are likely to continue to change. If you have a criminal matter in the District Court currently, please ...continue reading
How COVID-19 is Affecting NSW Local Court Cases in Australia
Taking affect Monday, 30 March 2020, a number of key changes have been made to the way in which NSW Local Court matters are to be dealt with during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 March 2020, the New South Wales Chief Magistrate, Judge Graham Henson AM, released a Memorandum regarding some of the key ...continue reading
What are the Rules Around NSW Police Strip Searching a Person?
241,000 is the number that has been given to NSW Police Officers, representing the quota for conducting personal searches, including strip searches on people for the 2019 financial year. In fact, in 2019, NSW Police failed to meet its quota by just under 2000 searches. NSW Greens managed to obtained the shocking revelation through the ...continue reading
What is a Criminal Lawyers’ Role?
Criminal lawyers represent people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, movies and TV shows have portrayed criminal lawyers in a bad light, prompting members of the public asking the question criminal lawyers get asked too often, “but how can you defend a criminal?”, or “how can you defend a guilty person?”. Too often we ...continue reading
How Does the On-The-Spot Fine for Drug Possession Work and When Can it Be Applied?
It is reported that a LEGO shaped MDMA strand has emerged containing 3 times the usual dose. As a result, authorities have been trying to issue warnings in the lead of the New Year’s Eve after the prohibited drug was discovered in the far North of NSW. Professor Andrew Dawson from the NSW Poisons ...continue reading
New Laws in ACT Legalise Cannabis Possession and Cultivation
31 January 2020 is the date that the ACT legalises the cultivation of cannabis and possession of cannabis. This doesn’t come without its restrictions though… This means, that the ACT has now passed a bill which effectively allows anyone who is at least 18-years-of-age to grow up to two cannabis plants and possess up ...continue reading
Is it Legal to Make a Citizen’s Arrest in NSW?
It is reported that a man with a large knife in Sydney CBD has allegedly attempted to stab people on Tuesday. Causing the Sydney CBD to go into lockdown, the incident unfolded close to the corner of Clarence and King Street when a man who was reportedly armed with a machete went on a ...continue reading