Police Ignorance of the Law – Should They Have More Legal Training?
Police are supposed to uphold and maintain the law, but a recent court case shows that in some instances, officers do not even understand the charges that they are pressing against members of the public. The misapplication of criminal charges...
Domestic Violence: Should NSW Take a Tougher Stance?
There has been a strong focus in Australia recently on raising awareness of and preventing domestic violence. The Chief Executive of Domestic Violence NSW, Tracy Howe, has stated that domestic violence is the leading cause of death and injury in...
Assaults by Police – Are Many Officers Charged?
The police are supposed to be responsible for ensuring the safety and protection of the public, but sometimes the opposite can be true. There have been a number of police charged with assault this year, against members of the public...
Many of Those Who Are Charged By Police Are Innocent – Example: Assault Charges and Self-Defence
Being charged with assault can be a stressful experience, especially if you were acting to defend yourself against an aggressor. The scene of an alleged assault can be messy and confusing, and some people handle themselves better than others when...
10 Tips For Staying Safe Over New Year’s
With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, it’s no doubt that police will once again be out in force patrolling the streets. Every year, police arrest a large number of people - many for alcohol-related offences. However, there are...
With so much Media Attention on Violent Crime: Are Crime Rates in NSW Rising or Falling
Recent figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show that most of the main offence types have remained steady or decreased in number throughout the state over the previous three months. There have been a number...
Is it Illegal to Smack your Child?
Supernanny Jo Frost may condemn it, but according to one survey done last year, 69% of Australian parents smack their children. Regardless of ‘best parenting’ techniques which may advocate against smacking, is it actually illegal to smack your child in...
How Prevalent is Police Misuse of Tasers in NSW?
The use of Tasers by police officers in NSW has been under scrutiny over recent years after a number of high profile cases where the weapons have been misused against members of the public. In 2012, the NSW Ombudsman published...
NSW Police Officers Charged Over Shooting
Four NSW police officers have been charged with perjury and giving false evidence after they allegedly lied under oath during a Police Integrity Commission (PIC) inquiry into the shooting of a mentally ill man by police five years ago. 36-year-old...
Are Special Domestic Violence Courts a Good Idea?
According to media reports, NSW Labor has promised to set up specialised domestic violence courts if the party is elected to power in the next state election. With much recent publicity surrounding the rates of domestic violence in Australia, police...
