Pocketing the proceeds of crime: Recommendations for legislative reform: Report to the Criminology Research Advisory Council Grant: CRG 27/16–17

This project, undertaken in 2017 and 2018, examined the complex and under-researched challenge of tackling crime through property confiscation legislation from a legal and a criminological perspective. The study was undertaken in three Australian jurisdictions—Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland—and looked into the attitudes to and impact of legislation related to confiscating the proceeds of crime. Forty interviews were conducted with a range of legal and government stakeholders and members of the public directly or indirectly involved in or affected by the operation of confiscation legislation. The report outlines a suite of best practice recommendations for the reform of Australian proceeds of crime legislation, with a view to ensuring just, valid and effective statutory schemes that achieve their legitimate objectives.