Law Reform Targeting Crime and Disorder

This chapter presents a brief overview of some key law reform developments and other legislative initiatives recently passed into law in Australia. We discuss significant changes to the law on bail, evidentiary rules, sentencing, and legislation targeting one-punch deaths and cybercrime. We also examine laws designed to limit the activities of outlaw motorcycle (“bikie”) gangs and suspected terrorists. Our discussion highlights the importance of criminologists critically examining new measures with a view to providing an evaluation of the likely results. In particular, as criminologists, our role should include providing legislators and policy makers with ongoing advice, feedback, and, where appropriate, criticism of their efforts to shape the criminal law and field of criminal justice more generally.