New Sentencing Option Introduced in NSW: ‘Community Correction Orders’
Our previous blog outlined how the ‘section 10 bond’ has now replaced the new ‘conditional release order’ as a new sentencing option in NSW for criminal and traffic offences. This blog outlines a further new sentencing option called a ‘community corrections order’ which effectively replaces the old ‘section 9 bond’ and ‘community service order’ penalties, ...continue reading
The End of ‘Section 10 Bonds’ in NSW as a Sentencing Option
The Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) reflects the law behind all the sentencing options a Magistrates or Judges can impose on a person guilty of a NSW criminal or traffic offence. That Law has now changed and the new NSW sentencing penalties or options commence from today 24 September 2018 onwards. The popular ...continue reading
Feeling Reckless? What it’s Going to Cost you to be a Hoon on the Road
By Sahar Adatia and Jimmy Singh On September 7, 2018, boulder man Travis James Ball was jailed for eight months for reckless driving and other traffic offences after he shamelessly performed multiple burnouts only metres away from Kalgoorlie Police Station back on June 2. The 21-year-old hoon, who situated himself in the city’s busiest ...continue reading
Can You Refuse to Give a DNA Sample to Police?
By Jimmy Singh and Fahim Khan Australian criminal law can be complex to understand, especially when it’s concerning police rights regarding when they can and can’t carry out intrusive tests on your body. Generally, DNA samples are considered to be more effective at solving crimes than fingerprints. DNA samples are considered to be very effective ...continue reading
The Law on Jaywalking and Hitchhiking
By Jimmy Singh & Tayla Regan Jaywalking is generally where you cross the road in unsafe circumstances. Arguably, crossing a road against a red pedestrian light, or where there is no light, onto oncoming traffic (within 20 meters of a crossing) do so with full appreciation of the risks (which can result in serious consequences), ...continue reading
The Law on Getting Bail When Charged by Police
By Jimmy Singh and Tayla Regan What is Bail? Where police charge you for a criminal offence, you become accused of an alleged offence. As a result, the Bail Act 2013 (NSW) is engaged, and a bail process starts. This means that, depending on the allegation or criminal charge, you will either be put into ...continue reading
New Laws on The Right to Silence for Criminal Offences
By Jimmy Singh and Tayla Regan Say for instance you have been arrested for a crime, taken to the police station, and offered to participate in an interview with the police. Can you refuse to give an interview with police without your silence being used against you later? Can your silence amount to a consciousness ...continue reading
When Can Police Take Your Phone?
NSW Police are often seizing mobile phones (and other items) from people suspected of crimes, including those that are bystanders, who record an incident which they are not even involved in. The digital era, with the regular use of smart phones, which allow people to record footage and photos wherever and whenever, has resulted in ...continue reading
The Difference Between Summary, Indictable & Strictly Indictable Offences
There are two types of main charges in NSW labelled as “indictable offences”, and “summary offences”. The period of time your case will take in court to finalise, whether police are still allowed to prosecute you for an offence that occurred more than 6 months ago, and the seriousness of the penalties you are faced ...continue reading
New Penalties to be Introduced in NSW
Evidence establishes that community supervision and programs are much more effective at changing offenders behaviour to reduce reoffending. In fact, sending offenders to prison for less than 2 years have not been effective in trying to change behaviour in offenders generally. A number of significant changes in NSW penalties have been proposed, and it will ...continue reading