1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: We've got new numbers out this morning on crime while 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: on bail. Ministry of Justice figures show convictions jumped by 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: nearly twelve thousand between twenty fifteen and twenty twenty four. 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: Homicides doubled from ten to twenty five over that time, 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: with court backlogs taking up much of the blame. Steve Cullen, 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: criminal lawyer, with us this morning. Steve, good morning, Good morning. 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: So what is this telling us? 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 2: Well, the figures are a little bit confusing, to be honest, 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 2: there's been a ten year period. There's no doubt that 10 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 2: there are increases occurring in crimes, but then everything else 11 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: is going up as well. You'd want to be a 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,639 Speaker 2: praised of the demographics of society. Are we getting an 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 2: increase in the proportion of youth? Are we getting an 14 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: increase in the proportion of young people before the courts? 15 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: Are there more gang members? We know that there are 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 2: more drug abusers. It's a concerning statistic, but in the 17 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: absence of more information, it's hard to derive any really 18 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: concrete decisions from it. 19 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: It's a bit more context, doesn't it, Steve, What are 20 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: you seeing? 21 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 2: Well, certainly we're seeing that people are sometimes noncompliant with bail, 22 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: and they certainly do go on to commit further offending. 23 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: This release talks about fears that the offense is that 24 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 2: people are on bail go and commit somehow pertain to 25 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: existing victims. Well, I haven't seen any particular evidence of that. 26 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 2: They do go on to commit more offenses, but that's 27 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 2: just the nature of the beast. I'm afraid when they 28 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 2: deal with criminal law. The period they're talking about spans, 29 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 2: for example, the period when we had COVID, when we 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 2: had ram raids. What we are seeing, I think, in 31 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 2: my own view, is that there's been a bit of 32 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: a decline in respect for law and order and institutions. 33 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: But it seems to be worldwide. It's come through social media, 34 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: and it seems to be almost reflected in some of 35 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: the people's attitudes towards bail. Were there less of a 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: mind to take it seriously, but let's not forget over 37 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 2: eighty percent of people who are on electronically monitored bill 38 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 2: for example, are comply. 39 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: If you get bail once and then stuff you'll bail up, 40 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 1: do you get bail again. 41 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: It's not automatic. It needs a legitimate reason to explain 42 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: why there were difficulties with bail, and then the courts 43 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: would look at all the surrounding circumstances. It's not a 44 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: total prohibition, but it's most certainly taken into account in 45 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 2: later hearings. And yes, it will impact on your ability 46 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: to get bailed that you've breached to bail in the past. 47 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: And what's of even more important that if people are 48 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 2: on electronically monitored sentences and violate those, then there's a 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: higher likelihood that they're not going to receive a similar sentence. 50 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: Are in electronically monitored sentence when it comes to sentencing, 51 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: so they'll face imprisonment. 52 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: Well that makes sense to me, Steve. Thanks for that, 53 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: Steve Cullen Criminal word 54 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: For more familiar edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to 55 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 2: News Talks it Be from five am weekdays, or follow 56 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.