CRIME Flashcards
Elements of crime, define, cases.
Actus reus: the guilty act. ie. Physical performance of committing a criminal act done voluntary.
R vs Potsik 1973 - possession of money not one’s own due to another’s mistake does not fulfil actus reus.
Mens Rea: guilty mind ie. There was intention/recklessness/negligence.
R vs Eason 1971 - simply examining contents of another’s bag without forming intent to steal does not fulfil requirement of mens rea
Negligence
Person failed to exercise degree of care that reasonable person would have done in same circumstances
Recklessness
Person could foresee possibility of harm but acted anyway
Strict liability
Offences lowering prosecution’s burden of proof to solely actus reus, ie. Most traffic offences eg. Speeding
Causation
Link between act and specific harm sustained; act must be at least substantial cause of crime.
Categories of crime.
SEDDPPP
Offences against person - homicide, assault
Offences against sovereign - treason, sedition
Economic offences - crimes against property, white collar, computer
Drug offences - possession, trafficking, cultivation, manufacture, importation
Driving offences
Public order offences
Preliminary - conspiracy, attempt
Difference of sedition and treason
Sedition: incite hatred for monarch, gov, constitution
Treason: causing harm or aiding nation’s enemies
Summary and indictable
Summary: less serious outlined in Summary Offences Act 1988, heard by magistrate without jury in local court
Indictable: more serious and heard by judge and jury in district or Supreme Court
Prima facie
Whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a case
Parties to a crime
Principal in first degree - carries out crime
Principal in second degree - assisting commission of crime (present during act)
Accessory before the fact - assisted in planning crime; not present
Accessory after the fact - helps criminals after they have committed crime. Neither present, nor aware of it beforehand
Factors affecting criminal behaviour
Socio economic - poverty, doctrine of differential association: those surrounded by crime more likely to commit crime, self-interest
Genetic
Political - NO WAR March 2003
Types of crime prevention
- situational crime prevention: makes difficult for criminals to commit crime by increasing risk of being caught eg. Surveillance cameras, security guards
- social crime prevention: focuses on values and discipline systems that influence whether people commit crimes eg, provision of edu, employment, social security
Crime
Act or omission that results in harm to society and is punishable by state. Crimes are a reflection of ‘public morality’ at the time and hence, what constitutes a crime differs between societies.
LEPRA
Law enforcement (powers and responsibilities) act 2002 provides various powers to police in order to protect society; including ability to detain and question suspects, participate in search and seizures and arrest and interrogate suspects.
Powers of police? SIMED IF
- Search and seizure
- access to information (COPS)
interrogation - electronic surveillance: tapping phones
- medical examination: extract and test DNA of suspects, volunteers and people convicted of serious criminal offence
- detention
- fingerprints and photographs
Case of Adam Houda
case shows how through discretion, requirement of factual basis of suspicion can be overlooked; Houda wrongfully arrested, detained and questioned 6 times in 11 years due to his Middle Eastern background
Media article showing excessive use of police powers where rights of community have been compromised
“Police spy on web, phone usage, with no warrants” (SMH 2012) - federal governments released figures where agencies have accessed Internet and telecommunication data without warrants more than 40,000 times during 2010-11
Media article where police abuse powers to individuals
“Mardi Gras brutality one step too far” (SMH 2013) - although working as primary enforcers of law, there is a risk of police abusing their power thus endangering rights of individuals
Computerised operational policing system (COPS)
Allows police to cross-reference details of ‘persons of interest’, including those with criminal history, AVOS, holding gun licence, mental illness, outstanding warrant, victims or suspects.
How does police powers not achieve justice for victims?
Detention: anti-terrorism act 2005 (cwlth) permits preventable detention of terrorist suspects for 48 hours with indefinite potentials for extensions - HANEEF: detained 12days
Crimes amendment (consorting and organised crime) act 2012 (Nsw)
Allows police to outlaw certain criminal organisations (ie. Bikie gangs) and prevent people from associating with those convicted of serious crimes
Identification legislation amendment act 2011 (Nsw)
Requires Muslim women wearing niqab to remove veil for police identification purposes
Why do private citizens choose not to report crime? (Civilian discretion)
- unnecessary hassle
- loyal to perpetrator of crime
- feel humiliation or Shame (esp. Sexual assault victims)
- reporting crime is futile (2006 BOCSAR stats: 90% if reported sexual assaults did not lead to conviction)
How to investigate crime?
- gathering evidence (technology and search and seizure)
- use of warrants
How police has used technology successfully in investigating crime - case
R v. Fleming (2007) - Fleming was charged with rape and murdering of Sydney woman; first successful cold case investigation using DNA evidence to prove guilt
Non successful use of technology to gather and assess evidence
R v Jama (2008) - wrongful conviction of rape based on DNA evidence alone, presenting miscarriage of justice
Warrant
Written authorisation issued by judge or magistrate allowing police to take action which it prescribes
Offenders may be brought before court by:
- information and summons
- information and (arrest) warrant
- arrest without warrant
Citizen’s arrest
Right and responsibility of citizen’s to arrest those who have committed a felony
Russell Howarth - vigilant Sydney driver arresting illegal Uber drivers since 2014
Bail act 1978 (NSW)
Permits defendants to enter into agreement to attend court on a particular date in exchange for freedom during trial process
Remand
Detention of accused throughout trial process if bail is denied
Bail amendment act 2002 and 2004
Tightened scope in which offender has presumption in favour of bail
Issues with remand
- presumption of innocence
- time in remand may be extended due to delays in legal systems due to; lack of time management, nature of adversarial system; increasing cases
- delays result in negative effects such as psychological trauma, witnesses forgetting details, decreased public confidence
What did BOCSAR 2009 stats reveal?
Juvenile remand populations have increased by 82% indicating severe lack of resource efficiency in bail system
BOCSAR 2010 stats reveal?
Twice as many NSW prisoners held on remand than any other state, reflecting failure of NSW bail system to reflect ethical values held nationally
Anti terrorism act 2005 - advocates and critics and case
Allowed for preventative detention of up to 14days or placement under control order for up to 12 months
- advocates argue govt. has right to limit civil liberties to protect security of majority
- critics claim changes are violation of individual rights and Australia’s international obligations under ICCPR
- RvsHaneef 2007; illustrates the law could be easily abused by govt. and law enforcement agencies; Haneef held for 12 days undermining rights as suspect in exchange for potential protection of community
Evidence amendment (evidence of silence) act 2013 - advocates + critics
Police able to draw unfavourable inferences when accused wishes to remain silent
A: right to silence only protected guilty
C: right to silence protected defendants from having words twisted by barristers and allowed them to protect fam and friends
Which case established an implied limited right to legal representation?
Dietrich vs. The Queen 1992
Local court
- Magistrate - no jury
- Original jurisdiction for most summary offences and conducts committal hearings for more serious offences seeking to est. Prima facie
- encompasses coroner’s, children and drug court
District court
- Judge presides over court- jury brings verdict
- original jurisdiction for most indictable offences
Supreme
- judge and jury
- original: most serious indictable offences
Adversarial system:
Two sides to a case presenting version of facts to neutral third party, while simultaneously disapproving that of other side (cross examination) - after which jury will render verdict
Inquisitorial system
Judges collecting evidence from both sides, examining said evidence and rendering verdict
Issues with adversarial system:
- objective to present and weigh up merits as opposed to ascertaining facts
- rich > highly skilled legal counsellors
- sexual assault victims can be relentlessly cross examined > significant psychological harm
Charge negotiation
Dealing made between prosecutor and defence counsel prior to trial in which defendant agrees to plead guilty to lesser charge
Difference between burden and standard of proof
Burden of proof: responsibility to prove something
Standard of proof: how much proof is required
Complete defences egs? DINCS
- insanity, self defence, necessity, duress, consent
Partial defences PS
- provocation
- substantial impairment
R vs maglovski 2013
Rejects controversy about abuse of provocation defence by husbands killing wives who threaten to leave them as seen in R vs. Singh 2009 - Maglovski sentenced to max 20 years in prison
What act est. selections and functions of juries
Jury act 1977 (Nsw)
Jury amendment (verdicts) act 2006
Majority verdicts of 11-1 accepted as either conviction/acquittal
Reasons for majority verdicts
- minimises chance of expensive retrial
- incidence of hung juries increased from 3.5% in 1985 to 8%
- no miscarriages have been noted
Criticisms of majority verdicts
- degrades principle of “beyond reasonable doubt” and presumption of innocence
- more likely conviction of innocents