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1.1. Purpose of this Report


Many uses of information technologies can assist the conduct of complex
criminal trials, including text retrieval, document control databases,
document imaging, computer-aided transcription (CAT), remote video evidence,
and presentation graphics. Other technologies such as case management systems,
electronic lodgement of court documents, computerised access to law, and
sentencing or damages databases offer benefits in the conduct of all court
proceedings, but no benefits particular to complex trials.

The main purpose of this Report is to make recommendations as to how use of
information technology can improve the handling of complex criminal trials by
Australian courts. The recommendations concern the conduct of such trials, not
just their prosecution, and aim to be 'technologically neutral' as between
defence and prosecution. The subsidiary purpose is simply to communicate as
much basic information as we can concerning existing and possible uses of
information technology in Australian courts, because it has become apparent to
us that there are few convenient sources of such information. We hope the
Report may serve as a useful introduction for some readers. It is therefore
rather longer than the development of recommendations alone would require.



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