Should ‘Mr Big’ be phased out from our criminal justice system?

While so-called “Mr Big” undercover police operations have resulted in convictions in some of Australia’s most notorious cases, such as the Daniel Morcombe murder, the admissibility of confessions elicited during such operations and the reliability of those statements may demand further scrutiny. In this episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with RMIT University College of Business and Law lecturer Dr Lisanne Adam and University of Sydney senior psychology lecturer Dr Celine Van Golde about what defines a “Mr Big” operation, how and why they are used, their recent research into the use and reliability of such operations, and the practical issues that these operations can present.

Adam and Van Golde also delve into some of the moral and ethical considerations from such operations, the fact that the High Court allowed for use of such methods in 2007, whether “Mr Big” operations are increasingly being used and why police might look to undertake such operations, the challenges or consequences that arise from these operations, the idea that the legal system may “prey on the vulnerable”, how criminal lawyers feel about the use of “Mr Big”, what legislative or regulatory improvements might be needed, and ensuring societal faith in our system.

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If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email editor@lawyersweekly.com.au for more insights!