NCJ Number
75640
Date Published
1980
Length
76 pages
Annotation
This document contains papers presented at a seminar on Aboriginals and the criminal law in Australia; rural, procedural, and legal issues, and police-Aboriginal relations are examined.
Abstract
Participants included both white and Aboriginal legal experts. The destruction of Aboriginal society is blamed on the State, its statutes, the administration of the law, and the church's overconcern for the moral welfare of Aboriginal children. Landrights legislation for Aboriginals is called for as partial remedy for past injustices. Little change has been observed in country areas in Aboriginal-police relations in the preceding 2 decades. In fact, the police's overconcern to maintain 'law and order' has led to a harsher attitude towards Aboriginals than to the white populations. The consequential effect of alcohol abuse on the young was commented upon by a number of speakers. A senior police official in charge of an area containing a significant proportion of Aboriginal citizens insisted that no distinction is made by police between the treatment of Aboriginals and any other segment of the population. Moreover, he asserted that those employed by the Aboriginal Legal Service display a decided bias against the police and criminal justice system, exacerbating whatever problems may exist. The effects on economic and societal changes on white citizens--resulting in a white 'backlash'--was seen as contributing to the problems surrounding the issue of Aboriginals and the law. Tabular data and footnotes accompany some papers. For separate papers, see NCJ 75641-43.