Women Social Security Offenders

WOMEN SOCIAL SECURITY OFFENDERS: EXPERIENCES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

by Meredith Wilkie

CONTENTS

1. Themes and Methodology
   1. Women's Offending
   2. Explaining Women's Under-Representation
   3. Sentencing Female Offenders
   4. Explaining More Lenient Treatment
   5. Social Security Offences
   6. Women's Social Security Offending
   7. Methodology
2. The Social Welfare System
   1. Meeting Needs?
   2. Brief Historical Overview
   3. Current Payment Categories
   4. Obtaining a Benefit
   5. Losing Entitlement
   6. The SSAT
   7. Prosecution

   Case Study I: Proving Entitlement
   Case Study II: The Cohabitation Rule

3. Prosecution
   1. Introduction
   2. Prosecution Responsibility
   3. Detection
   4. Investigation
   5. Referral to the DPP
   6. Prosecution Policy
   7. DPP Practice in Western Australia
   8. 'Irrelevant' Public Interest Factors
   9. Charging Policy
   10. Offences under the Social Security Act
   11. Crimes Act Offences
   12. Role of the Prosecutor in Court

   Case Study III: Obtaining a Confession

   1. Compelled Information Inadmissible
   2. The 'Misrepresentation Interview': Standards
   3. The 'Misrepresentation Interview': Practice
   4. The Caution
   5. Taking Advantage of the Relationship
   6. Alleged Prosecution Tactics
   7. Reconstructed Record of Interview
   8. Conclusion
4. Trial and Sentencing
   1. Trial
   2. Applicable Penalties
   3. Sentencing Procedures
   4. Current Sentencing Approach
   5. Penalties Chosen
   6. Sentencing Principles and Objectives
   7. Addendum: Inter-State Comparison

   Case Study IV: Going to Gaol

   1. Introduction
   2. Preparations for Sentence
   3. On Being Sentenced
   4. The Experiences of Imprisonment
   5. On Being Released
   6. Assessing Imprisonment
   7. Assessment of the Sentencing Process

   Case Study V: Recovering the Overpayment

   1. Introduction
   2. Recovery and Conviction
5. Discussion
   1. Summary
   2. Women's Offending
   3. Sentencing Women
   4. Different Treatment for Social Security Offences

   Bibliography
   Table of Cases
   

Published June 1993
Price AUD $22.00 (incl gst) + postage and handling $26.00 (incl gst)
ISBN 0-86422-261-0

Please send orders to crime.research@uwa.edu.au or post to The Crime Research Centre, C/- The University of Western Australia, 14 Parkway, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6907