Category Archives: General articles

Articles relevant to the subject of wrongful convictions

Talking to Strangers – why we (and police and judges) mostly get it wrong

Posted on July 26, 2021 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban. The full title of Malcolm Gladwell’s book is Talking to Strangers: what we should know about the people we don’t know. For someone who did in fact talk to many, many strangers on the streets of Australia … Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 16 Comments

Fool proofing the Attorney General

Posted on July 23, 2021 by andrew

The Attorney General’s Transparency Branch has a fool proof tactic, straight out of Yes, Minister, to shut down anything it doesn’t want to address. 

Posted in CCRC, General articles | 14 Comments

Judicial Impartiality – needs work; report

Posted on July 22, 2021 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban. The majority of Australians (82%) don’t trust judges’ impartiality, according to the Menzies Research Centre’s (MRC) submission on Judicial Impartiality to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC), which was tasked with examining the subject by former Attorney … Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 11 Comments

Can justice be seen to be done in the Territory?

Posted on July 18, 2021 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban A young white policeman in the Northern Territory, Zachary Rolfe, is facing trial this week (July 19, 2021) charged with the murder of a young Aboriginal man, Kumanjayi Walker. These words alone trigger preconceptions that will cloud … Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 9 Comments

A sealed envelope, a secret instruction? Or just indifference?

Posted on July 7, 2021 by andrew

A sealed envelope on the desk of every incoming Federal Attorney-General contains a short, unsigned, cryptic instruction: “Avoid CCRC”. How do we know this? It’s elementary, my dear Whatsyourname; it’s like this … ANDREW L. URBAN tells a tale you … Continue reading →

Posted in CCRC, General articles | 11 Comments

Sara Jane Parkinson’s crooked cop husband evades justice again

Posted on July 4, 2021 by andrew

BETTINA ARNDT’s update on the infamous Sarah Jane Parkinson case of false rape accusations, and its ongoing damage. 

Posted in General articles | 94 Comments

Miscarriages of justice in Australia: unfinished business

Posted on June 30, 2021 by andrew

Former High Court judge THE HON. MICHAEL KIRBY AC CMG argues that there is a need in Australia for greater concern and vigilance about the risk of miscarriages of justice – and that the Criminal Cases Review Commission model is … Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 18 Comments

Severe psychological consequences of wrongful convictions: study

Posted on June 27, 2021 by andrew

The psychological consequences of wrongful accusations appear to seriously affect the lives of those accused, even after exoneration or overturning of convictions, according to a study by Samantha K Brooks & Neil Greenberg of King’s College, London, reported in SAGE (for … Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 13 Comments

New sexual consent laws in NSW will not help – Cunneen SC

Posted on June 23, 2021 by andrew

Hold on, warns MARGARET CUNNEEN SC, in her talk addressing the Rule of Law Education Centre conference, The Presumption of Guilt, on June 15, 2021. 

Posted in General articles | 11 Comments

We urge the AG to consider a national CCRC

Posted on June 10, 2021 by andrew

In the following letter, wrongfulconvictionsreport – with the support of several senior figures in the legal community – urges the Attorney General to consider establishing a Criminal Cases Review Commission, arguing valid reasons and outlining a practical formula. We hope … Continue reading →

Posted in CCRC, General articles | 14 Comments