Jim Coombs

Jim Coombs is a retired magistrate and economist, who worked for 10 years in the nuclear industry.

Jim's recent articles

Lock 'em up, or maybe not

Lock 'em up, or maybe not

Incarceration is widely seen as the ultimate penalty (short of execution), and so, serious, and not-so-serious, offences are measured by the extent of the jail term. The question is, does that achieve the aims of the criminal justice system? Is incarceration a deterrent, and does it reduce the risk of re-offending? The answer provided by all the evidence, is a resounding “NO”. So what is a legislator or judicial officer to do?

Dutton's nuclear vision is distorted by ignorance (or worse)

Dutton's nuclear vision is distorted by ignorance (or worse)

Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan may well have minimal carbon emissions, but the distant time of arrival, and ignoring the well known drawbacks makes it a dud.

Does it all seem like 1932?

Does it all seem like 1932?

Western economies have immovable stagflation that classical (include monetarist) policies wont budge, the increasingly bearish market seems incapable of getting growth, investment is in retreat, unemployment is rising and people in rich countries are starving. The Great Depression was just like that, and so is the present western capitalist economy.

Why AUKUS does not make sense

Why AUKUS does not make sense

AUKUS relies on the dubious proposition that nuclear propulsion will in 20 years or so be a viable option. A dubious proposition in twenty years, as it hardly is value for money now. A number of defects should be obvious even to Peter Hartcher as he predicts imminent conflict.

Incarceration conundrum

Incarceration conundrum

The crime rate is dropping due to advanced technology, but our rate of incarceration is rising, especially for First Nations prisoners, who are gaoled at thirty times the rest of us. Even the US only gaols non whites at eight times. As Sumner Miller asked, Why is it so? It is largely the practice of the courts and the prosecuting authorities.

A whole of process approach could reduce Aboriginal incarceration

A whole of process approach could reduce Aboriginal incarceration

There are many points of entry into incarceration at which a decision NOT to detain can be made, from the first encounter with police through to sentence and even after sentence.

Children in jail: why change and why now?

The recent expression of concern at 10 year olds being imprisoned is quite appropriate, but the age of criminal responsibility is not the only issue. More important is who does it and why they do.

Less Aboriginals in Gaol ? How can we do it ?

Circle Sentencing was a great idea: Get the Aboriginal Community involved in the the administration of justice to the First Nations people. But why wait until the horse has bolted, when guilt is assumed and penalty is the question.

JIM COOMBS. Post-virus reconstruction - 'snap back or snap out of it?

Wouldnt it be nice to have a government that housed the homeless, fed the poor and had a high employment demand driven, suitably regulated, economy. I can dream.

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