By Olivia Hoyne
On its face, a person might pick this book believing it will contain details (no matter how disturbing) of cases that have shaped Australian law. If you were under this belief, I am sorry, but you will be disappointed.
While it does not divulge the ins and outs of the criminal justice system, Wrongful Convictions in Australia: Addressing Issues in the Criminal Justice System explores the issue of wrongful convictions by uniquely causing the reader to explore the life lesson of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.
With the rise of true crime podcasts and shows, details of heinous crimes are widely available and have sparked the interests of lawyers and lay people alike. I must admit I have watched nearly all the crime documentaries on Netflix. While there are benefits in educating people about court processes and the criminal justice system, it should never be forgotten that mistakes are made and those who fall victim to them face great consequences.
Wrongful Convictions in Australia: Addressing Issues in the Criminal Justice System examines common factors associated with wrongful convictions and suggests that to ensure a reduction in wrongful convictions, attention needs to be given to evaluating the criminal justice system and implement necessary changes.
Stephen Cordner and Kerry Breen are distinguished medical practitioners and have firsthand experience of the intersection between the medical and the legal world. There is no doubt they have the knowledge required to address these issues, but if there was a doubt, there is no shortage of legal expertise (The foreword is written by the Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG, and his comments appear throughout the book).
The authors outline their views and possible reforms to decrease the number of people being falsely convicted.
To a lay person (and no doubt to some lawyers) the discussion of reforms can be complex and dry, but Stephen Cordner and Kerry Breen somehow make legalese understandable, causing any reader to question the status quo.
The authors suggest the only way the consequences of wrongful convictions will be appreciated in society, is through education. They suggest information of wrongful convictions (having been determined by superior Australian appellant courts) should be documented and readily available. In my opinion, this is a no brainer, the only way the wider public and the criminal justice system can learn from past mistakes, is by knowing how they were made. The authors also suggest reforms that have the potential to shake up the criminal justice system- but I will leave it to you to decide whether such chaos is necessary.
Whether you are a lawyer, a true crime aficionado or someone who simply wants to read a book outside their comfort zone, Wrongful Convictions in Australia: Addressing Issues in the Criminal Justice System is not only informative but calls into question how easily individuals accept something on its face value, rather than considering that sometimes what you see is not always what you get.
