Lesson 36: Impacts of Homicide and the need for law reform

Question 1

Impacts of homicide on the victims family or friends

Answer 1

• Physical: health problems, grief, insomnia and cardiac issues
• Psychological: family and friends of victim can experience PTS, depression and severe stress
• Economic: victim = financial provider for family → whole family suffering b/c loss of main income earner
• Social: discomfort, strain and distancing in relationships for victims + most friends feel like they X provide support
• Political: loss of trust in criminal justice system

Question 2

Impacts of homicide on the community

Answer 2

• Economic: increased rates of homicide → unsafe reputation → lack of ppl living in the area → decrease of house value → decrease of income
• Social: members of communities with high rates of homicide can live in fear about their safety
• Legal: may prompt Government to pass harsher laws to try decrease the frequency of homicide
• Health: Members of society may witness manslaughter (any homicides) → PTS, anxiety, etc

Question 3

Impacts of homicide on the offender

Answer 3

• Physical: may have sustained minor or severe injuries in the commission of the offence
• Psychological: offender + their families → feelings of guilt, regret, remorse, shame and humiliation
• Economic: offender experiences loss of earnings if unable to work due to imprisonment + could have significant legal costs, court defence and legal rep.
• Social: in prison, accused may face negative impacts on their social life → X able to regularly see family + support networks

Question 4

Changes to One-Punch sentencing laws

Answer 4

• One-punch law introduced across Australia to build on measures to address alcohol-fueled violence
• In Victoria, the reforms created a statutory minimum penalty for killing that occurs in circumstances involving a cowards punch or gross violence

Question 5

Reasons for change to the One-Punch sentencing laws

Answer 5

• Criminal codes outline maximum penalty to give offenders, but this set of reforms included a new provision to s.9C of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) to include a mandatory minimum (non-parole) period of imprisonment of 10 years
• Elements of One-punch manslaughter in Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) to make law clearer + more explicit
  → embedding → more known + stable b/c Acts of parliament = easier to access and read than court decisions