3. Criminal

A.  Overview

The criminal law has been profoundly affected by COVID-19. Initially, the impact of new procedures and delays in trials, coupled with the health risk posed by COVID-19, including in prisons and other closed environments, has given rise to new considerations relevant to the grant or refusal of bail, to sentencing, and to supervision orders.

In time, the offences created by primary legislation, or given content by subordinate legislation, made in response to COVID-19, will be prosecuted, and will themselves give rise to a substantive body of law.
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Finally, the circumstances created by COVID-19 and the social and legal responses to it, will give rise to new questions in the application of the existing criminal law.

The areas of law covered by this section are:
​A.  Bail
B.  Corrections management
​C.  New crimes / infringements
​D.  Sentencing
E.  Serious & sex offenders
F.  Visitation​
​G.  Enforcement

B.  Further resources
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