Aborigines and the administration of justice: a critical analysis of the application of the criminal law to aborigines

In recent years the volume of literature on the Aborigine has increased greatly. Why, then, produce yet another study on the Australian Aborigines? The answer lies in the comparative neglect in the past of the particular area chosen for study.
Until recently the outstanding feature of the literature on Aborigines was the paucity of material on current socio-economic, political and legal aspects of Aboriginal life. More attention is now being paid to these topics but few studies on the relationship between Aborigines and the law have yet been published. Campbell and Whitmore discuss current legislation relating to Aborigines but go on to point out that 'an entire volume would be required to even sketch the practical administration of the laws'. The present volume is an attempt to supply in part this deficiency. It was decided to study not only the administration of special legislation relating to Aborigines but also the administration of the general law as it affected them.