Australian Courts

This book is an excellent resource for students in law, criminology, policing and social work as well as practitioners and policymakers; indeed, anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Australian Courts. - Elaine Barclay, retired Associate Professor in Criminology A book which explores the contexts, complexities and challenges of courts is therefore extremely timely and, given the dearth of systematic reviews in this area, presents a wonderful contribution to better understanding what Australian courts do and how they work. It provides an excellent informed introduction to one of our most important social institutions. - Rob White, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Criminology Australian Courts: Challenges, Controversies and Change brings together scholars and practitioners in a comprehensive and unique exploration of courts in Australia. It identifies existing controversies and challenges associated withAustralian courts, and proposes a suite of reforms within various Australian jurisdictions. As the first comprehensive edited collection to canvas the diversity of courts in Australia, this book provides a critical analysis of contemporary issues, debates and reforms. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it considers courts across state, territory and national jurisdictions, including the coroners court, family court, criminal, civil court, Indigenous sentencing courts and problem-solving courts. It also considers an array of issues, such as the relationships between parliaments and the courts, the place of victims, the impacts of justice delayed, and the role of the media – all matters which arise for court users and practitioners in different court settings. Marg Camilleri is a senior lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at Federation University Australia. Alistair Harkness is a senior lecturer in criminology and co-directorof the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England in Australia.