Law Reform: A Case Study

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Law reform is the process by which the law is modified and shaped over time to better reflect the social values that society feels are important. Whilst the legal system deals effectively with many technological issues and enforcing rights, there are several areas that require improvement. The rapid change of technology in the 21st century makes it difficult for the law to keep up with the changes to these technological developments, thus creating the need for law reform. The increasing rate of change in technology raises issues in the areas of DNA technology and cyber-bullying. The necessity to update the law or create new laws has become significant over the past years as technology continues to advance.
The legal system is somewhat effective in
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DNA evidence has also been a factor in three out of five recent crimes where a suspect was identified. DNA Management Section Senior Sergeant Philip Hanley said: "The ability of DNA to identify and/or eliminate suspects, link multiple crime scenes and assist with the identification of injured or deceased persons has made it an invaluable resource for law enforcement agencies across the world." The ongoing use of DNA evidence in criminal courts is prevalent in the Fitzgerald v The Queen (2014) HCA 28 case. On 19 June 2011, there was an incident of a burglary in South Australia, causing the murder of one victim and serious brain injuries inflicted on another. Fitzgerald’s DNA was found on a didgeridoo at the crime scene. The sentence was appealed because the verdict was irrational as there were other possible ways the DNA could have been transferred. There was not enough DNA evidence to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt because there was limited information about the conditions in which DNA was transferred. Hence,

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