Innocent people do confess to terrible crimes they had nothing to do with. Psychologists are investigating factors that contribute to false confession – including how well-rested a suspect feels.
Innocent people do confess under interrogation to crimes they did not commit, even providing details about the crime. What leads them to falsely confess to very serious crimes?
As a country that claims to uphold the human rights of all – including those before the law – Australia should take notice of international practice when it comes to life imprisonment.
Despite the popular perception, most psychopaths aren’t coldblooded or psychotic killers. Many live successfully among us, using their personality traits to get what they want.
Marginalised outsiders, community conflict and a bad reputation – the prosecution of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey has all the hallmarks of the early modern witchcraft persecution. Warning: spoilers ahead.
Police are important, but not sufficient, in the crime-reduction effort. I have enormous faith in their abilities, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need more of them.
The undeniable difference between men and women when it comes to committing crime should be reflected in a fundamentally different approach to the sentencing of women.
As Queensland considers new laws to curb alcohol-fuelled violence in response to a one-punch death, several policy experiments that have occurred in recent years can provide valuable lessons.
As the Law Council of Australia calls for the end of mandatory sentencing, it might be time for the Australian government to evaluate and resolve the troubles of this problematic system.
At a time when Australia is discussing the adequacy of legal responses to domestic violence, decisions that serve to lessen the culpability of men’s violence against women are undoubtedly concerning.