A critical examination of witness protection in Australia

Abstract

Witness protection is a significant arm of Australian justice and the programs are an essential element in the fight against serious and organised crime. Although witness protection is a vital part of the criminal justice system, it has only been legislated for since 1991 in Victoria and 1994 in the rest of Australia. Prior to this, witness protection programs operated under administrative arrangements in most Australian states and territories. The operation of these programs in all Australian police forces consumes considerable resources. Despite the expenditure there has been no attempt to critically and systematically assess these programs since legislation was passed in 1994. This thesis seeks to address that deficit by undertaking research grounded in the six primary themes highlighted by the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Crime Authority in 1988, which ultimately informed the development of the current Australian legislation.