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28 July 2023 / Dr Jon Robins
Issue: 8035 / Categories: Opinion , Criminal
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Criminally in need of reform?

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Other countries must exercise caution when drawing inspiration from the UK’s Criminal Cases Review Commission, Jon Robins argues

A decision by the New South Wales Attorney-General in June to pardon a mother for the murder of her children has prompted calls in Australia to introduce their own version of our Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). The CCRC, set up in 1997, was the first ever miscarriage of justice watchdog and over its short life has proved a popular legal export. There are similar bodies in Scotland, Norway, and New Zealand, and Canada is looking at introducing one.

Improving accuracy

Kathleen Folbigg served 20 years for the murder of three of her infant children and the manslaughter of a fourth child, but will now be spared the rest of her 30-year sentence. In June, I took part in a debate on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)’s Law Report programme, presented by lawyer Damien Carrick. He pointed out that the campaign to exonerate the mother took two investigations and ‘the unprecedented involvement’

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