Families Impacted by the Criminal Justice System on the Frontier: A New Model Required

The article examines some of the systemic issues which adversely affect access to justice by Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley. The author contends that little or no adjustment is made in law, policy or service delivery to take account of the circumstances of aboriginal people in the region. The high rate of recidivism and rate of aboriginal imprisonment suggest the current model has failed. The author analysizes why the model has failed and proposes solutions. The paper was originally delivered to the 29th Annual ANZAPPL Congress in November 2009 when the author was the resident magistrate in the East Kimberley.