Australia’s record on wrongful convictions in serious crimes lags behind many developed countries due to systemic gaps in case review mechanisms, compensation frameworks and public accountability, as researched by AI.
No Australian government, state or federal, has a much needed policy to reform our fractured criminal justice systems. Australia comes last in the international league of justice, according to the tables below.
Conviction Drive (by Rosemary)
Comparative Overview
| Country | Dedicated Review Body | Average Annual Exonerations | Compensation Framework |
| United Kingdom | Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) | ~25 cases | Statutory, structured payments |
| United States | State-level review bodies, e.g., Innocence Projects | Hundreds (via DNA exonerations) | Varies by state; often substantial |
| Canada | Federal and provincial review bodies | Dozens | Statutory and discretionary |
| Australia | None | Very few | Discretionary ex gratia payments |
Key Observations
- Lack of Dedicated Review Mechanism: Unlike the UK, which has the CCRC, Australia lacks a national body to systematically review potential wrongful convictions. This absence contributes to a lower rate of overturned convictions.
- Limited Exonerations: the rarity of successful appeals in Australia is in contrast to the UK which averages around 25 overturned cases annually.
- Inconsistent Compensation: While the UK offers structured compensation, Australia’s reliance on discretionary ex gratia payments leads to inconsistencies and perceived inequities.
Conclusion
Australia’s criminal justice system is underperforming relative to other developed nations in addressing wrongful convictions. Establishing a dedicated review body and reforming compensation mechanisms are crucial steps toward aligning with international standards and ensuring justice for the wrongfully convicted.
Andrew. Yes, yes, a credible review system . The impossible dream ? More than likely , if the English concoction is any example.
How’s about arse kicking observers in the courtroom from the get-go ? Weed out the professional jurors for a start – DNA tested . (a bit extreme maybe)
Leave the flexible forensics maniacs and their police pleasing skulduggery clear of any court house. Ankle tap the judge fountain of wisdom , immediately it starts spraying the speculation riddled screenplay- spanners and screw drivers -vomit and blood in car/ garage floor and dinghy. Get rid of the crap – less need of a CCRC.
Andrew. The English criticism of their own CCRC is hardly complementary !
Seems more like a token system – designed to quell the restless peasants. Nothing more than a cynical low budget way of allowing carefully selected convictions to be sacrificed .
For crysake – read the reviews…
Andrew . It’s definitely worth reading the reports on the failings of the Pommie CCRC. It would not be even slightly surprising if our dear “tuff on crime” purveyors would also castrate any attempts at controlling their power to do over the innocent.
The English CCRC seems to be exactly as one would expect from a token, cynical pack of hyenas . Unless readers have another way to describe the typical Australian Prosecutor, Judge, Appeals Court System . A Judge’s lunch money for each year of wrongful imprisonment ?
That would be 40 years for Derrick Bromley and how much? How many would do 40 years for 40 million ?
What words can one use to describe the
latest example of the treatment of a mentally and physically damaged little girl child in “tuff on crime” Queensland ?The new regime and bare concrete cells. That’s the ticket – a new Nazi Soviet Gulag
Or how about “Gutless effing Mongrels ?
Prefer Police heroes ? Well at least they didn’t manage to pile drive the little recalcitrant head first into the bare concrete floor after several attempts. Broke her arm instead, it seems…
What’s this got do with wrongful convictions ? It’s all part of the same stinking system…dominated by bullying boofheads – have you noticed how a “successful” police prosecutor speaks to an innocent witness for the defence?
Which person is the swine?
A successful Australian CCRC ? Pigs might fly !
Heinrich, while I share your disdain for our criminal justice system, I believe (or would like to think) that Australia could learn the lessons of failures in the UK CCRC to establish a national system to review convictions that seek its review. We desperately need a national review body – precisely because of the many failings of our current system. Bob Moles has outlined how it could be set up. See here: https://wrongfulconvictionsreport.org/2020/05/24/another-ccrc-established-but-still-not-in-australia/