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Consorting In New South Wales: Substantive Offence Or Police Power?, Alex Steel
Consorting In New South Wales: Substantive Offence Or Police Power?, Alex Steel
Alex Steel
Since 1929 it has been an offence in New South Wales to habitually consort with reputed/convicted criminals. This article outlines the fears over so-called razor gangs that led to the offence's introduction and the role of the media in promoting the enactment of the offence. A detailed examination of the scope of the various elements of the offence, as defined by the courts is also provided. The paper also examines the historical and current use of the offence by police, and the degree of discretion involved in enforcement. The breadth of the offence is such that it effectively amounts to …