NCJ Number
68878
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
EIGHTEEN COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH INTERESTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES, INCLUDING WOMEN'S, CHURCH, AND MINORITY GROUPS, MET WITH THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO EXCHANGE IDEAS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY.
Abstract
A CRIMINAL POLICY SHOULD BE FORMULATED WHICH WOULD UNIFY PLURALISTIC DIVISIONS IN SOCIETY BY BEING BASED UPON COST REDUCTION AND EVALUATION OF BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MONEY SPENT ON CRIME PREVENTION. HEAVY PENALTIES ALONE ARE NOT A SUFFICIENT RESPONSE TO CRIME, WHICH REQUIRES TOTAL COMMUNITY CONTROL. STATISTICS NEED TO BE MADE MORE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE ON BOTH A NATIONAL AND A STATE BASIS, AND CONSIDERATION MIGHT BE GIVEN TO A LOCAL OFFICE OF CRIMINAL STATISTICS TO COLLATE INFORMATION FROM POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS. PROJECTS FOR CLOSER COLLABORATION BETWEEN WESTERN AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENTS AND THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO CLARIFY THE REAL MEANING OF LOWER CRIME FIGURES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND THE HIGHER LEVELS OF IMPRISONMENT. GREATER ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE PLIGHT OF VICTIMS AND TO THEIR RIGHT TO COMPENSATION--NOT JUST FROM SOCIETY BUT FROM THE OFFENDER. IN PARTICULAR, CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO MEASURES ALREADY TAKEN IN ISRAEL TO PROTECT THE CHILD LIKELY TO APPEAR IN COURT AS A RESULT OF A SEXUAL ATTACK. MORE ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE BETTER TRAINING OF POLICE, JUDGES, MAGISTRATES, AND CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL; SOME OF THIS COULD BE PROVIDED AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL VIA THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY. THE TAPE RECORDING OF VOLUNTARY STATEMENTS MIGHT BE DESIRABLE, IF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES CURRENTLY RESULTING FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF ALTERING TAPES WERE OVERCOME, AND IF PRESENT EFFECTIVE POLICE LEVELS WERE NOT REDUCED. FINALLY, THE PREDICAMENT OF MENTAL PATIENTS OR PERSONS LIABLE TO INDETERMINATE SENTENCES IS DEPLORABLE AND NEEDS FURTHER ATTENTION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)