This new edition covers:
- Extensive reform to bail laws (2017) including new Schedule offences for “exceptional circumstances” and “compelling reason”, sharper focus on protecting victims of family violence, and updated case law;
- Reforms to the Juries Act 2015 including new directions regarding identification, post-offence conduct, inferences from silence, and the introduction of “ground rule hearings”;
- Extensive reform to sentencing law including abolition of baseline sentencing-replaced with the “Sentencing Standards” regime (2017), expansion of offences with minimum sentences and minimum non-parole terms, reform to use of Community Corrections Order. Discussion of High Court clarification of use of “current sentencing practices,” Victoria’s first Guideline Judgement (Boulton v The Queen [2014] VSCA 342, and extension of “Verdins” principles;
- Updated appellate decisions regarding abuse of process, police questioning, police search powers, the Evidence Act 2008 (ss 85, 137), jury irregularities, views, and no-case submission;
- Introduction of concurrent expert evidence in criminal trials;
- Reforms to appeal procedures in the Court of Appeal and in the High Court;
- Reforms to the parole system (2017) including the Post Sentence Authority to take over functions of the Adult Parole Board Detention and Supervision Order Division;
- New DPP Prosecution Policy (2017);
- New police “Move-on” powers (2017).
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