- Title
- Murder and Mandatory Life in New South Wales: The Puzzling Application of s 61 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act
- Creator
- Anderson, John; Williams, Hannah
- Relation
- Criminal Law Journal Vol. 46, Issue 5, p. 289-300
- Relation
- https://anzlaw.thomsonreuters.com/Document/Ic7bf3bb2c56911edba5fd4e1de866745/View/FullText.html?navigationPath=Search%2Fv1%2Fresults%2Fnavigation%2Fi0ad740150000018bb1b33c36c91c3b87%3Fppcid%3Dd9e2fa15c3724526bcdb6c1cd744f8f2%26Nav%3DAUNZ_ANALYTICAL%26fragmentIdentifier%3DIc7bf3bb2c56911edba5fd4e1de866745%26parentRank%3D0%26startIndex%3D1%26contextData%3D%2528sc.Search%2529%26transitionType%3DSearchItem&listSource=Search&listPageSource=d955af3c9e8a76f692255cd948326827&list=AUNZ_ANALYTICAL&rank=1&sessionScopeId=a5f3e1d4c46c615f63c9519d117e36675d1e60608b2d45c0244bf0e823a495a7&ppcid=d9e2fa15c3724526bcdb6c1cd744f8f2&originationContext=Search%20Result&transitionType=SearchItem&contextData=(sc.Search)&comp=wlau
- Publisher
- Lawbook
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2023
- Description
- Section 61(1) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), which makes life imprisonment for murder mandatory in certain circumstances, has caused significant controversy and confusion since its inception in New South Wales (NSW) over two decades ago. Most recently, the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal considered the approach to the application of s 61 in Rogerson v The Queen; McNamara v The Queen and confirmed that a differential form of two-stage approach is correct despite the established general instinctive synthesis approach to sentencing. Although a more consistent approach in practice may result from this interpretation, it is arguable that, apart from being inconsistent with the instinctive synthesis approach, it will likely perpetuate injustice. There remains a lack of clear discriminating relevant criteria for the threshold imposition of a life sentence as opposed to the alternative of a determinate sentence making it difficult, if not impossible, to ensure that a life sentence for murder is imposed fairly, equitably and proportionately. Ultimately it is contended that a logical step towards curing these deficiencies is to repeal s 61 followed by a full re-consideration of the availability of, and relevant factors for imposing, the sentence of life imprisonment in New South Wales.
- Subject
- sentencing procedure; crimes; murder; life imprisonment
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1491657
- Identifier
- uon:53100
- Identifier
- ISSN:0314-1160
- Language
- eng
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