FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA (FROM CRIME AND JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA, 1977, BY DAVID BILES - SEE NCJ-50969)

• NCJ Number: 50978
• Author(s): D BILES; B SWANTON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology; Sun Books Pty Ltd
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

SPECULATIONS ARE OFFERED UPON THE ISSUES, PROBLEMS, AND CHANGES LIKELY TO CHARACTERIZE CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA IN THE FUTURE.

Abstract

THE GENERAL NATURE, ADVANTAGES, AND PROBLEMS OF PREDICTION ARE POINTED OUT, AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS ARE PREDICTED RELATIVE TO CRIME AND THE LAW, POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS. OVERALL, THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA APPEARS TO BE DYNAMIC, ALTHOUGH NOT ONE OF RADICAL CHANGE. CRIME AND THE LAW WILL REFLECT CHANGING SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE INCIDENCE OF FRAUD IS LIKELY TO INCREASE AS CREDIT CARDS REPLACE CASH. CRIMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE 15-24 AGE GROUP MAY BE EXPECTED TO DECREASE AS THAT PORTION OF THE POPULATION BECOMES SMALLER AFTER 1980. AT THE SAME TIME, GREATER INCIDENCE OF CRIME ASSOCIATED WITH ELDERLY VICTIMS MAY BE EXPECTED. IT IS ALSO PROBABLE THAT THE LAW EVENTUALLY WILL CEASE TO BE THE GUARDIAN OF PUBLIC MORALS. POLICE WILL DEVELOP GREATER TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND RESPONSE CAPACITY, AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES WILL CHANGE SUBSTANTIALLY. CHANGE AGENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND AMONG POLICY-LEVEL POLICE OFFICERS THAN IN THE POLICE UNIONS. MAJOR OPERATIONAL INNOVATIONS PROBABLY WILL BE IN THE AREAS OF POLICE SOCIAL SERVICE AND PATROL. COURTS, CORRECTIONS, AND ASSOCIATED AGENCIES WILL ADJUST THEIR OPERATIONS BROADLY IN TERMS OF LOWER RATES OF IMPRISONMENT, GREATER USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED SENTENCES, AND BETTER PRISON CONDITIONS. THE COURTS MAY BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF SENTENCES BY CORRECTIONAL AUTHORITIES. ONE POSSIBLE AREA OF COURT REFORM IS THE ABOLITION OR MODIFICATION OF THE RIGHT OF THE ACCUSED TO REMAIN SILENT. DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE MAY CHALLENGE THE ADVERSARY BASIS OF THE AUSTRALIAN COURT SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO GREATER USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT, THERE MAY BE EFFORTS TO INVOLVE PRISONERS IN THEIR OBLIGATION AS CITIZENS, PERHAPS BY GIVING THEM THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY THAT PRISONERS WILL BE PROVIDED COUNSEL BEFORE PAROLE BOARDS, AND THAT PAROLE BOARDS WILL BE MADE PART OF THE JUDICIAL STRUCTURE. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA WILL BECOME FAR MORE COMPLEX IN THE FUTURE AND WILL REQUIRE FAR GREATER INTELLECTUAL AND FINANCIAL INPUT THAN HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN THE PAST. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)