QLD:Ex-crims should serve on juries: report

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2011
QLD:Ex-crims should serve on juries: report

A new report says some people with criminal records should be able to serve on Queensland
juries to widen the pool of prospective jurors.

In its annual report, the Queensland Law Reform Commission also recommended that lawyers,
people aged over 70, and disabled people be allowed to serve on juries.

The commission says Queensland's laws excluding any person convicted of an indictable
offence from serving on a jury are the strictest in Australia.

It recommends laws be changed to allow certain people with criminal records to serve,
including people convicted before a magistrate rather than a judge or jury; or those with
spent convictions.

The commission also recommends the daily wage for jurors be based on the national minimum
wage and extra pay for long trials should kick in after ten weekdays, rather than 20.

AAP RTV mjf/wf/crh

KEYWORD: JURIES (BRISBANE)

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