Negotiating guilty pleas (‘plea bargaining’) is a central element of criminal justice processes in Australia, yet little is known outside the legal community about the frequency and outcomes of plea negotiations. This study addresses this important knowledge gap through qualitative and quantitative analysis of cases that were resolved through negotiated guilty pleas in Victorian courts.

The offence of defensive homicide was introduced in Victoria in November 2005 as part of a wider package of homicide law reforms recommended by the Victorian Law Reform Commission (‘VLRC’). This article looks at how certain reforms provide clarity to the partial defences to murder, and the respond to growing concerns that homicide law was...