Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology articles

Recent articles from Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology

Intersections between in-court procedures and the production of guilty pleas.(Australia)
April 1, 2009... In Australia (as elsewhere) most criminal defendants plead guilty and do not contest the charges at trial. Our research suggests that guilty pleas can result from ah intersectional process, in which in-court events interact with out-of-court activities and discussions. This article draws on...

Offenders' perceptions of the sentencing process: a study of deterrence and stigmatisation in the New South Wales Children's Court.
April 1, 2009... The criminal court system remains society's pre-eminent response to criminal activity, despite recent innovations such as youth justice conferences. Little is known, however, about the impact of an appearance before court and, in particular, whether subjective reactions to the court process...

Does indigeneity matter? Sentencing Indigenous offenders in South Australia's higher courts.
April 1, 2009... In Australia, research investigating Indigenous differences in sentencing is limited. This study examines the impact of offenders' Indigenous status on the decision to imprison and length of imprisonment in South Australia's Higher Courts. Results indicate that Indigenous offenders were less...

The weight of the Sword of Damocles: a reconviction analysis of suspended sentences in Tasmania.
April 1, 2009... Suspended sentences are a widely used but controversial sentencing disposition. This article presents reconviction rates for all sentences imposed over a 2-year period in the Tasmanian Supreme Court, as well as examining different outcomes on the basis of key sentencing variables, including...

Disbelieving suspense: suspended sentences of imprisonment and public confidence in the criminal justice system.
April 1, 2009... This article examines the ambivalent nature of suspended sentences of imprisonment and public reactions to them. In Australia, and elsewhere, they have created confusion, have been in and out of political and judicial favour and have been repeatedly modified. The article discusses the...