The Offender Levy takes effect in Queensland from today.Apart from a number of specified exceptions (like Commonwealth offences, and breaches of bail and suspended sentences) all adult offenders in that state will now be obliged to pay an additional amount, separate from their sentence and enforced by the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (effectively, the sheriff). …
Month: August 2012
Legislation Watch: Road Safety and Sentencing Acts Amendment Act 2012
The Road Safety and Sentencing Acts Amendment Act 2012 passed the upper house earlier this week, though it's still only to be found here under the Bills for the current Parliamentary session.The Government's press release says the Act will permit Courts to impose interlock conditions on folks getting their licence back after a drink-driving infringement. …
Continue reading Legislation Watch: Road Safety and Sentencing Acts Amendment Act 2012
Decision fatigue
This study from Israel by Danziger, Levam and Avnaim-Pesso has done the rounds since first being published early last year. The researchers watched the cases of 1125 Israeli parole applicants over 50 sitting days as their cases were dealt with by one of 8 judges. This amounted to 40% of all applications for parole made …
Legislation Watch: Criminal Procedure and Sentencing Acts Amendment (Victims of Crime) Bill 2012
This Bill makes a couple of minor changes to sentencing procedure. The Second Reading Speech is here, the Explanatory Memorandum is here. Unless proclaimed earlier, it has an automatic commencement date of 31st January 2013.Clause 4, an amendment to s 60 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 which purports to give the Magistrates' Court authority …
New County Court website
Following in the footsteps of the Magistrates' Court, the County Court has given its website a facelift. It's now to be found here.I didn't visit the old site often, so it's difficult to know whether changes are substantial or merely cosmetic. I like the simplified page explaining the court's jurisdiction, I like the layout generally, …