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Common Law and Code Jurisdictions

Australian criminal law was originally received from the English common law, which continued to evolve in Australian courts. Although all states also have some legislation on the criminal law, in some states criminal law has been codified whereas in other the bulk of the law is based on the common law. These may be referred to as ‘common law jurisdictions’ and ‘code jurisdictions’.

New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria are common law jurisdictions. These States have Crimes Acts which list the most common offences and fix their penalties, but do not always exhaustively define the elements of the offence e.g. Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). It is settled law in the common law jurisdictions that only Parliaments, not the courts, can create new offences.

The “code jurisdictions” are the Commonwealth, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia. In these jurisdictions a statutory code has been introduced to be a comprehensive statement of criminal law, and are interpreted to replace the common law except in cases of ambiguity. Codification in some cases involved a simple enactment of the common law into a statutory instrument. In other cases the changes were greater as the code was based on legislative instruments from other jurisdictions.

Legislation (including the criminal codes) is further refined by the method of judicial precedent and interpretation.

In addition to explicitly titled criminal code legislation there exists in most jurisdictions a further body of legislative or case precedent, the breach of whose conditions may result in criminal proceedings. e.g. Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic)

Law enforcement and police

The police in Australia are responsible for keeping peace and order in the community and bringing before the court people they believe have broken the law. Although police officers may arrest people and give evidence in court, they do not decide whether or not people are guilty of crimes. This is the responsibility of the courts.

Australia has a national police force—the Australian Federal Police—that investigates offences against federal laws, including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, crimes against national security and crimes against the environment.

All states of Australia and the Northern Territory have their own police forces that deal with crimes under state or territory laws. Policing in the Australian Capital Territory is handled by the Australian Federal Police.

Australian Crime Commission

The Australian Crime Commission was established in January 2003 (replacing the National Crime Authority) as an independent statutory body to work nationally with federal, state and territory agencies, principally to counter serious and organised crime. It brings together all arms of Australian intelligence gathering and law enforcement to coordinate the fight against major crime.

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History / Chronology of Criminal Law

Introduction

This chronology aims to document the important milestones in Commonwealth criminal law.

Constitutionally the Commonwealth Parliament has no general power to legislate in relation to crime. State and Territory governments are mandated by their Constitutions to legislate for the peace, order and good government of their jurisdictions. They have a general power to maintain public order and to protect individuals who reside within their State and their property.

The constitutional basis for the Crimes Act 1914, the Criminal Code Act 1995 and offence provisions in other Commonwealth legislation is found in the express incidental power in section 51 (xxxix) of the Constitution or in the implied incidental powers contained in the heads of power in sections 51 and 52 and in the executive power in section 61. The majority of Commonwealth criminal offences and penalties are to be found in various Commonwealth statutes dealing with widely differing subjects, eg customs and excise, taxation, insurance, social security, broadcasting and the Internet.

The Commonwealth’s powers to legislate have been greatly expanded through the external affairs power (section 51 (xxix)). The Tasmanian Dams case in the High Court confirmed that the Commonwealth is able to enact legislation to fulfil obligations incurred through its ratification of treaties covering areas otherwise outside its constitutional capacity
Another area of Commonwealth expansion into the area of criminal law has been the few occasions where the States have considered that a national law is preferable to a set of State laws and have referred their constitutional powers to legislate to the Commonwealth. This has happened, for example, in the areas of corporations regulation (2001) and anti-terrorism legislation (2002).

Commonwealth criminal legislation, therefore, began mainly covering offences against the Commonwealth and its institutions, or against Commonwealth officers, property or revenue. It has expanded, through the reasons mentioned above, to cover other areas of national concern.

This introduction is based on Report of the Review of Commonwealth Law Enforcement Arrangements, AGPS, Canberra, 1994, p. 10-11.

Milestones Details Source Documents

1899 1899 Queensland passes first Criminal Code, developed by Sir Samuel Griffith, which incorporates common law and statutory offences into one piece of legislation. Similar Codes were enacted in Western Australia in 1902, in Tasmania in 1922 and in the Northern Territory in 1983. Unsuccessful attempts to introduce a Criminal Code were made in South Australia in 1901-02 and in Victoria in 1904-12. The Commonwealth and the ACT passed Criminal Code Acts in 1995 and 2002 respectively based on the work of the Model Criminal Code Officers' Committee Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld)Historical background to the Code (OzCase)
1901 January 1. Commonwealth Constitution comes into force. Criminal law matters were generally left to the States except for matters coming under Commonwealth jurisdiction Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900
1901 First Commonwealth criminal offences created in the Audit Act, dealing with public service fraud, forgery and perjury. Comes into force on 1 January 1902 Audit Act 1901
1903 First treason trial after 1900 involving an Australian. Colonel Arthur Lynch, an Australian, was found guilty by a UK court of fighting with the Boers in the South African War. Other treason trials were held in 1945. Australian Dictionary of Biography
1905 As a result of a scandal in the dairy industry the first corruption offences were introduced Secret Commissions Act 1905
1906 January 1. First prohibition of a recreational drug made, by proclamation under the Customs Act 1901, when importing opium was prohibited except for medicinal purposes Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, no. 64, 30 December 1905, p. 1003
1907 First drug case heard by the High Court deals with importation of opium Irving v Nashimura [1907] HCA 50 ; (1907) 5 CLR 233
1910 Drug offences greatly expanded by addition of section 233B to the Customs Act 1901 which makes importation or possession of illegally imported substances a Commonwealth offence Customs Act 1910 s. 11
1914

1914 September
Commonwealth Crimes Act passed containing the most serious offences against the Commonwealth (eg treason) which carried the death penalty or committed by Commonwealth officers (eg divulging official secrets). It has been gradually superseded by the Criminal Code Act 1995.

Customs Proclamation dated 7 September 1914 prohibiting the importation of non-medicinal opium
Crimes Act 1914

Commonwealth of Australia
Gazette, no. 71, 12/9/1914

1917 Legislation passed to establish a Commonwealth Police Force. Prime Minister Billy Hughes was disappointed at the lack of action by Queensland police when an egg was thrown at him. The Force was established by an order published in the Commonwealth Gazette No. 215 12 December 1917, pp 3341-3342. It was abolished in 1919 and its functions taken over by the Investigation Branch of the Attorney-General’s Dept War Precautions Regulations 1916, Reg 64D, inserted by Statutory Rule no 317, 1917, made 27 November 1917
1920 Sedition made a Commonwealth offence, by inserting s. 24A-24F into the Crimes Act 1914 War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920
1924 Customs Proclamation dated 18 April 1924 prohibiting the export of non-medicinal opium Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, no. 26, 24/4/1921
1926 Following the 1925 Geneva Convention Concerning the Suppression of the Manufacture of, Internal Trade in, and Use of Prepared Opium, the Commonwealth bans the import and export of cannabis (Customs Proclamations nos 134 & 135).

Amendments to the Crimes Act bans unlawful revolutionary associations.
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, no. 115, 25/11/1926

Crimes Act 1926
1928 First Commonwealth firearms legislation; introduced the offence of discharging any firearm on or over Commonwealth land Crimes Act 1928
1939 National security legislation gave the government wide powers to conduct the war, control resources and deal with enemy sympathisers. It was repealed in 1946 National Security Act 1939
1941 Australian Security Service, the forerunner of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, established
1942 Offences re broadcasting blasphemous, indecent or obscene material made.

Peace Officer Guard established. In 1960 it amalgamated with the Commonwealth Investigation Service to form the Commonwealth Police Force.
Australian Broadcasting Act 1942

Statutory Rule no. 212 of 1942
1945 First war crimes legislation provides for trial and punishment of European war criminals War Crimes Act 1945
1946 Commonwealth Investigation Service established

First and last Commonwealth treason trial. Major Charles Cousens was committed for trial in the Sydney Magistrates Court in August 1946. The charge was dropped due to lack of evidence.

The Australian Encyclopedia, 1996, p. 2957, states that Albert Stokes was found guilty of treason for joining the Nazi “British Free Corps’ in 1944. In fact he was found guilty in a 1945 UK court martial of aiding the enemy, under the Army Act (UK). He served one year in Fremantle prison. Source: National Archives Recordsearch.

See also the 1903 UK trial of Australian Colonel Arthur Lynch (above).
Commonwealth Gazette, No.145, 8 August 1946

Australian Dictionary of Biography; See also ‘Ex parte Cousens; Re Blacket and another’ State Reports (NSW), 1947, vol. 47, pp. 145-150
1949 March 16. Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) established, under the administrative control of the Attorney-General’s Dept. It was put on a statutory basis in 1956.

Offences dealing with victims of war and genocide created.
Prime Minister’s Directive

Geneva Conventions Act 1949; Genocide Convention Act 1949
1953 The last sedition trial in mainland Australia was an unsuccessful prosecution by the Menzies Government of another member of the Communist Party in Sweeny v Chandler, an action prosected in the Sydney Court of Petty Sessions, which resulted in dismissal of the charges on the 18th September 1953. See 1960 for the last federal prosecution.
1956 ASIO, established in 1949, made a statutory body Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956
1960 Major amendments made to Crimes Act re sentencing, treason, defacing coinage, espionage, official secrets, conspiracy, etc.

The last federal prosecution and jailing for sedition was in 1960, when Department of Native Affairs officer Brian Cooper was prosecuted under the Criminal Code (Qld) for urging "the natives" of Papua New Guinea to demand independence from Australia . He was convicted and sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour. He committed suicide four years after losing his appeal.

Peace Officer Guard and Commonwealth Investigation Service were merged to form the Commonwealth Police Force.

First telecommunications interception legislation.
Crimes Act 1960

Cooper v. The Queen [1961] HCA 16; (1961) 105 CLR 177

Commonwealth Police Act 1957

Telephonic Communications (Interception) Act 1960
1963 Offences committed on aircraft legislated Crimes (Aircraft) Act 1963
1964 Procedures for civilians serving with United Nations who commit offences implemented Crimes (Overseas) Act 1964
1966 Extradition legislation passed. Before this the Commonwealth used United Kingdom legislation and treaties Extradition (Commonwealth Countries) Act 1966; Extradition (Foreign Countries) Act 1966
1967 Although the Commonwealth does not operate any prisons, it passed legislation providing for minimum terms of imprisonment for Commonwealth offenders

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs implemented in order to regulate the manufacture of certain drugs for medicinal purposes
Commonwealth Prisoners Act 1967

Narcotic Drugs Act 1967
1971 Violent demonstrations in Territories or on Commonwealth premises attract a penalty of 3 months imprisonment. Public Order (Protection of Persons and Property) Act 1971
1972 Australian Institute of Criminology and the Australian Criminology Research Council established. The Act commenced late 1972 and the AIC began operation in 1973.

Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft implemented
Criminology Research Act 1971

Crimes (Hijacking of Aircraft) Act 1972; Crimes (Protection of Aircraft) Act 1973
1973 Death penalty abolished for Commonwealth offences. States and Territories had already abolished capital punishment from 1922-1985

The Committee on Computerisation of Criminal Data recommends an Australian Crime Information Centre (ACIC) be established to store, retrieve and analyse criminal justice information

October 18. House of Representatives passes the motion “That … homosexual acts between consenting adults in private should not be subject to the criminal law”. It results in the draft Law Reform (Sexual Behaviour) Ordinance 1975 (A.C.T.)
Death Penalty Abolition Act 1973. See also Crimes Legislation Amendment (Torture Prohibition and Death Penalty Abolition) Act 2010

Report, August 1973. Attorney-General’s Dept, Canberra. Tabled but not printed. List number 416/1975

Attorney-General’s press release 41/75, (28/5/1975)
1974 Whitlam government establishes the federal Law Reform Commission (later Australian Law Reform Commission). Its first 2 reports in 1975 were Complaints against police and Criminal investigation.

Report of the Committee of Inquiry into a national forensic institute (est 4 Dec 1973). Chair L.G. Clark .
Law Reform Commission Act 1973

Report. Canberra : Govt. Printer, 1974. Parliamentary paper no. 58 of 1974
1975 Report of the Working Party on Territorial Criminal Law proposes and contains a draft new Crimes Ordinance for the A.C.T. to replace the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) as applied to the A.C.T. The Crimes Act did not start to be replaced until the Criminal Code 2002 was passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly under self government.

March 27. Department of Police and Customs established to bring law enforcement operations together. Press release p.209

September 26. The Whitlam Government passed control of ASIO from the Attorney-General's Department to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

In December the Fraser Government transferred control of ASIO back to the Attorney-General's Department.

October 29. Australia Police Bill introduced implementing Cabinet decision no. 1433 of 15/10/1973 and subsequent report by A.T. Carmody to establish a national police force to amalgamate all federal police agencies ie A.C.T., Northern Territory, Commonwealth, police forces, customs & narcotics bureau. The Bill also contained provisions to implement Australian Law Reform Commission recommendations relating to complaints against police. The bill did not pass. A more limited merger occurred later in 1979.
Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. Tabled but not printed. List no 318/1975

Commonwealth Gazette No S59, 27 March 1975

Administrative Arrangements Order 26/9/1975 (Commonwealth Gazette No. S192, 29 September 1975)

Administrative Arrangements Order 22/12/1975 (Commonwealth Gazette No.S262, 22 December 1975)

Australia Police Bill 1975. A.T. Carmody, National Law Enforcement Authority, April 1974. Tabled but not printed. List no. 384/1975
1976 Convention on Psychotropic Substances implemented.

Two terrorism conventions implemented
Psychotropic Substances Act 1976

Crimes (Biological Weapons) Act 1976; Crimes (Internationally Protected Persons) Act 1976
1977 Australian Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drugs established by the Commonwealth, Victorian, Tasmanian, Western Australian & Queensland Governments and headed by Justice E.S. Williams. It recommended increased law enforcement of drug control and the establishment of a Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence. Reports published as Parliamentary Paper numbers 275/1979, 2529/1980, 226/1980
1978 Last act of terrorism in Australia . A bomb explodes outside the Sydney Hilton Hotel in February 1978.

Offences created re entering other countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities
Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act 1978
1979 Following the Hope Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security, ASIO legislation was revised

Commonwealth Police and A.C.T. Police merge to become Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The Standing Advisory Committee on Commonwealth-State Cooperation for Protection Against Violence (SAC-PAV) hold its first meeting.

Legislation passed to clarify which Australian State and Territory criminal laws apply to ships and coastal waters, replacing previous UK legislation
Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1979

Australian Federal Police Act 1979

Crimes at Sea Act 1979
1980 Royal Commission into the Activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union established by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments and headed by Mr Frank Costigan QC. It made recommendations in the areas of organised crime, bottom of the harbour tax evasion, drug trafficking, waterfront crime and criminal investigation techniques Reports published as Parliamentary Paper numbers 72/1982, 185/1982, 223/1983, 284-289/1984
1981 Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking established by the Commonwealth, NSW, Victorian & Queensland Governments and headed by Justice D.G. Stewart. It makes 102 recommendations in the areas of law enforcement agencies, criminal intelligence systems, police powers, complaints against police, deportation and extradition and financial investigations Reports published as Parliamentary Paper numbers 288/1982, 41/1983, 186/1983 [NZ Report]
1981 Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence established Agreement between the Commonwealth, State and Northern Territory Governments 6/2/1981. Tabled 18/8/82
1982 Legislation passed by the Fraser government to establish a national investigative body, the National Crimes Commission. The act was never brought into force by the new Hawke government, which instead set up the National Crime Authority in 1984 National Crimes Commission Act 1982
1983 Royal Commission of Inquiry into the activities of the Nugan Hand Group [extension of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking 1981-1983] Chair: Justice D.G. Stewart. It recommends enhanced cooperation with countries re banking records and changes to companies and auditing legislation Reports published as Parliamentary Paper numbers 275/1983, 65/1985, 368-369/1985
1983 May Royal Commission on Australia's Security and Intelligence Agencies established. Chair Mr Justice R. M. Hope. It recommends increased ministerial control of ASIO and the establishment of an Inspector-General to oversee agencies Reports published as Parliamentary Paper numbers 323/1983, 1/1984, 230-232/1985
1984 March Director of Public Prosecutions established on 5 March 1984 to prosecute offences under Commonwealth law. This task had previously been done by the Deputy Crown Solicitor’s Office Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983
1984 July National Crime Authority (NCA) established to investigate national crime issues National Crime Authority Act 1984
1985 Royal Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Telephone Interceptions established. Chair: Justice D.G. Stewart. Recommends additional bodies be able to intercept telephones and safeguards for the issuing of interception warrants Report published as Parliamentary Paper number 155/1986
1987 Review of Commonwealth Criminal Law established ( Sir Harry Gibbs (chair), Ray Watson , Andrew Menzies ). Issues discussion papers, 5 interim reports & a final report (1988-1991)

Australian Protective Service (APS) established to provide security at Commonwealth premises.

Assets of convicted criminals now subject to confiscation.

Special Investigations Unit (later War Crimes Prosecution Support Unit) established in the Attorney-General’s Dept to investigate prosecutions of alleged Nazi war criminals. It was abolished in 1994
[1st] interim report: computer crime 1988. PP* 111/1989

[2nd] interim report: detention before charge 1989. PP 112/1989

[3rd] interim report: principles of criminal responsibility and other matters 1990. PP 195/1991

4th interim report 1990. PP 319/1990

5th interim report 1991. PP 194/1991

Final report 1991. PP 371/1991
All on Senate Tabled Papers Database

Australian Protective Service Act 1987

Proceeds of Crime Act 1987

1988 3 inquiries into violence established:
National Inquiry into Racist Violence (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Moss / Castan inquiry));
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal Inquiry into Violence in Television;
National Committee on Violence into Violence in Australian Society
Extradition laws rewritten and amended

An amendment to the Constitution to extend the right to trial by jury was rejected at referendum
Report, 1991 (PP 100/1991)

TV Violence in Australia , 1990 (PP 131-134/1990)

Violence: directions for Australia, 1990

Extradition Act 1988

Constitution Alteration (Rights and Freedoms) Bill 1988

1990 June 28 SCAG decides to establish the Criminal Law Officers Committee (CLOC) consisting of members from all jurisdictions to develop a national model criminal code. Between 1992 and 2002 it issues 12 discussion papers, 11 reports and 5 model provisions

July 1st. Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) as applied to the ACT passes from Commonwealth Attorney-General to the A.C.T. Government
Model Criminal Code

A.C.T,. Administrative Arrangements, 4/7/1990

1992 Penalty units (equivalent to $100) introduced at the federal level. The unit was changed to $110 in 1997. Units were first introduced in Victoria in 1981

Australian Protective Service transferred from the Department of Administrative Services to the Attorney-General’s Department
Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 1992

Administrative Arrangements Order, 30 June 1992, Gazette GN27, 8 July 1992, p. 1834

1993 Criminal Law Officers Committee changes its name to Model Criminal Code Officers' Committee (MCCOC)

Review of Law Enforcement Arrangements established under the chair of Bill Coad. Its 1994 report led to changed arrangements within the Attorney-General’s Department dealing with law enforcement.

Report. AGPS, 1994 ISBN 0644332964

1994 Federal Justice Office replaced by the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Board (CLEB) within the Attorney-General’s Department

First Commonwealth sex offences, dealing with under age sex by tourists overseas

Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act enacted to override Tasmania's anti sodomy law contained in its Criminal Code. The first time the federal government uses its external affairs power under s 51 of the constitution to override a state criminal law

Crimes (Child Sex Tourism) Amendment Act 1994

Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act 1994

1995 Criminal Code Act 1995 implements provisions of the first report of MCCOC issued in 1992 on criminal responsibility. The Code is becoming the main piece of legislation containing federal offences, superseding the Crimes Act 1914. It also abolished all common law offences (s.1.1) Criminal Code Act 1995
1996 On 28 April a lone gunman killed 35 people at Port Arthur, Tasmania. This led to the Commonwealth passing legislation to implement a gun buyback scheme to assist the States recall certain firearms and to restrict importation of various firearms National Firearms Program Implementation Act 1996

Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956

1997 Commonwealth legislates to repeal decriminalisation of euthanasia in the Northern Territory. First use of Commonwealth territories power to override a territory law. Euthanasia Laws Act 1997
2000 CrimTrac Agency established to provide national databases of criminal information eg DNA, fingerprints, child sex offenders CrimTrac Agreement
2001 Corporations power referred from the States. This was the most significant transfer of constitutional power from the States to the Commonwealth. Legislation provides for offences committed by corporations and their directors and boards Corporations Act 2001 and related State and Territory legislation
2002 First Commonwealth anti-terrorism legislation. The Northern Territory in its Criminal Code was the first jurisdiction to make terrorist actions an offence in 1982

Commonwealth, State and Territories Agreement on Terrorism and Transnational Crime 2002 leads to referral of anti-terrorism powers to the Commonwealth

Australia implements the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and accepts the jurisdiction of the Court to investigate and prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity
Security Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Act 2002

Text of Agreement (see p. 16)
Criminal Code Amendment (Terrorism) Act 2003

International Criminal Court Act 2002

2003 On 1 January 2003 the Australian Crime Commission replaces the National Crime Authority (NCA), Office of Strategic Crime Assessments (OSCA) and the Australian Bureau of Criminal Investigation (ABCI) The Australian Crime Commission: Commonwealth, State and Territory Agreement of 9 August 2002 (see p.13)
Australian Crime Commission Establishment Act 2002
2006 Law Enforcement Integrity Commission established to investigate misconduct by law enforcement officials

First conviction under sex slavery and sexual servitude provisions in the Criminal Code. Ms Wei Tang was convicted of 10 charges in the Victorian County Court
Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006

Minister for Justice Press Release 9/6/06

2010 Commonwealth legislates to prohibit States from reintroducing the death penalty, and to implement the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1984 Crimes Legislation Amendment (Torture Prohibition and Death Penalty Abolition) Act 2010

Other Criminal Law Issues include:

Firearms
Mandatory Sentencing
Terrorism
War Crimes see International Law
Federal Legislation
Australian Crime Commission Act 2002
formerly National Crime Authority Act 1984
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979
Aviation Transport Security Act 2004
Crimes Act 1914 (Originally the principal act containing Commonwealth offences. Now gradually being superseded by the Criminal Code Act 1995)
Crimes at Sea Act 2000
Crimes (Foreign Incursions and Recruitment) Act 1978
Crimes (Overseas) Act 1964
Criminal Code Act 1995
Criminology Research Act 1971
Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983
Extradition Act 1988
Intelligence Services Act 2001
Law Enforcement Integrity Commissioner Act 2006
Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003
Model Criminal Code
Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1987
National Security Information (Criminal and Civil Proceedings) Act 2004 (formerly National Security Information (Criminal) Act 2004
Proceeds of Crime Act 1987
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (supersedes but does not repeal the 1987 Act)

Court and Tribunal decisions, law reports etc
Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII)

Key National Bodies
Attorney-General's Department
The Department administers general criminal law, the police and many security, customs and counter-terrorism matters. See sections on Crime prevention and enforcement and National security and counter-terrorism
Australian Crime Commission (formerly National Crime Authority)
Australian Institute of Criminology
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)
Crime and justice (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Current statistics on many aspects of crime and law enforcement, together with special articles from previous issues of the ABS Year Book Australia
CrimeNet
Information on criminal records, stolen property, missing and wanted persons, con artists and unsolved crimes. A fee paying commercial database which provides some information free of charge. The Parliamentary Library does not provide full access to this site
Director of Public Prosecutions
Griffith University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
University of Sydney. Institute of Criminology
University of Western Australia. Crime Research Centre

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