Truth or Justice? Double Jeopardy Reform for Queensland: Rights in Jeopardy

Abstract

This paper discusses proposed reforms to double jeopardy contained within the Criminal Code (Double Jeopardy) Amendment Bill 2007 (Qld) which is likely to be passed by Queensland’s parliament later this year. The paper argues that the development of double jeopardy rules and the reform debate has been muddied by doctrinal confusion over whether double jeopardy is primarily a procedural right for the protection of accused individuals or a procedural rule to protect the institutional integrity of judicial outcomes. The paper critically examines the underlying rationales for double jeopardy protections along with arguments in support of the proposed reforms. The discussion of the proposed Queensland provisions takes place with regard to similar reforms that have been recently implemented in the UK and NSW and which are planned for New Zealand.