‘Jolting the system’: Bail reform and the politics of community safety in Victoria

This article examines the political context of recent bail law changes in Victoria. We find that bail reform continues to serve as a vehicle for performing ‘tough on crime’ politics, leaving evidence-based bail changes vulnerable to legislative backpedalling. As increased priority is given to community protection in bail legislation , over and above the principle of legal innocence, we consider how community safety is being interpreted as a long-term issue in the courts to enable access to bail in a political environment driven to restrict it.