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Associate Professor Thomas Crofts

Profile


Degrees

LL.B. London LL.M. Würzburg Dr.iur. Frankfurt/O


Courses Taught

  • Criminology
  • Foundations of Law
  • Criminal Law


Areas of Interest

  • criminalisation
  • criminal responsibility
  • comparative criminal law
  • criminal law reform
  • children and criminal law


Brief Biographical Detail

Associate Professor Thomas Crofts is Director of the Sydney Institute of Criminology. He is a graduate of University College London (LL.B.), the Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Germany (LL.M.) and the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt/O., Germany (Dr. iur.). Prior to Sydney University Associate Professor Crofts taught Law at Murdoch University (2000–2010), the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (1995–1999) and the Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg (1993–1995). He has held visiting appointments at the Universities of Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham and Western Australia.

His research in criminal law, criminology and criminal justice centres on criminalisation and criminal responsibility, exploring why and how behaviours are defined by, and governed through, criminal law. Within this broad field his interests are the criminal responsibility of, and for, children, comparative criminal law, criminal law reform and the relevance and role of labelling (particularly relating to homicide and sex work). He has published in English and German in these fields in national and international journals. In 2011 he was awarded the Australia and New Zealand Society of Criminology‘s inaugural Adam Sutton Crime Prevention Award. Currently, he is conducting research funded by the Australian Institute of Criminology into young people’s perceptions of ‘sexting’.

Associate Professor Crofts’ teaching interests are criminal law, criminology and criminal justice. At Sydney he teaches Criminology and Criminal Law. He has taught ‘Homicide’ in the LLM programme in Criminal Law & Criminal Justice at the University of Birmingham and in the Master of Criminal Justice Programme at the Crime Research Centre of the University of Western Australia (Criminology, Criminal Law and Public Policy; Administration of Sentences; and Theories of Punishment and Principles of Sentencing). Associate Professor Crofts has been awarded Murdoch University Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2002 and 2009.

Publications

Books | Book Chapters | Refereed Journal Articles | Short Articles, Book Reviews and Case Notes | Encyclopaedia Entry | Conference Papers/Seminars


Books

  • Burton, K, Crofts, T & Tarrant, S, Principles of Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia, LBC: Pyrmont (2011)
  • Crofts, T & Burton, K, The Criminal Codes: Commentary and Materials (6th Edition), LBC: Pyrmont (2009)
  • Crofts, T, Criminal Law in Queensland and Western Australia, LexisNexis study guide, LexisNexis (2009)
  • Kendall, C K, Jardine, A & Crofts, T, Same Sex Relationships, A Legal Guide for Western Australians Post Law Reform, Murdoch Print: Perth (2004)
  • Crofts, T, The Criminal Responsibility of Children and Young Persons in Germany and England, Ashgate: Aldershot (2002)


Book Chapters

  • Crofts, T, ‘Regulating the Male Sex industry’ in Minichiello, V. and Scott, J. (eds), Male Sex Work and Society, Harrington Park Press, (forthcoming)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The Criminal Responsibility of Children’ in L Young and G Monahan (eds), Children and the Law in Australia, LexisNexis: Sydney (2008) 167–186
  • Crofts, T, ‘Do Parents Know Best?’ in Jan C Jördens and Josef N Neumann (eds), Medizinethik 5, Vol. 8, Peter Lang Verlag: Germany (2005) 147–166
  • Crofts, T, ‘“The right of the Individual or the Common Good?” – The Euthanasia Debate in Australia’ in Jan C Jörden and Josef N Neumann (eds), Medizinethik 3: Ethics and Scientific Theory of Medicine, Vol. 3, Peter Lang Verlag: Germany (2002) 133–152


Refereed Journal Articles

  • Lee, M, Crofts, T, Salter, M, Milivojevic, S and McGovern, A, “‘Let’s Get Sexting’: Risk, Power, Sex and Criminalisation in the Moral Domain’ (2013) 2(1) International Journal for Crime and Justice 35–49
  • Crofts, T & Lee, M, ‘“Sexting”, Children and Child Pornography’ (2013) 35(1) Sydney Law Review 85–106
  • Crofts, T & Loughnan, A, ‘Provocation: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (2013) 37 Criminal Law Journal 23–37
  • Salter, M, Crofts, T & Lee, M ‘Beyond criminalisation and responsibilisation: ‘Sexting’, gender and young people’ (2013) 24(3) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 301–316
  • Tomsen, S & Crofts, T, ‘Social and cultural meanings of legal responses to homicide among men: masculinities, sexual advances and accidents’ (2012) 45(3) Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 423-437
  • Clancey, G, Lee, M & Crofts, T, ‘“We’re not Batman” – Roles and Expectations of Local Government Community Safety Officers in New South Wales’ (2012) 14(4) Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal 235–257
  • Crofts, T &Mitchell, T, ‘Prohibited Behaviour Orders and Indigenous Overrepresentation in the Criminal Justice System’(2011) 22(2) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 483–491
  • Crofts, T, 'The Law and (Anti-Social Behaviour) Order Campaign in Western Australia' (2011) 22(1) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 399–414 – Awarded the Adam Sutton Crime Prevention Award 2011
  • Crofts, T & Witzleb, N, ‘Naming and Shaming in Western Australia” in (2011) 35 Criminal Law Journal 34–45
  • Swensen, G and Crofts, T, ‘Recent Developments in Cannabis Law Reform’ (2010) 12 Flinders Law Journal 79–104
  • Crofts, T, ‘Stop and Search without Reasonable Suspicion” (2010) 35 Alternative Law Journal 199–202
  • Crofts, T & Panther, N, ‘Changes to Police Stop and Search Law in Western Australia: What Decent People Have to Fear’ (2010) 1 Western Australian Jurist 57–67
  • Crofts, T, ‘Taking the Age of Criminal Responsibility Seriously in England’ (2009) 17(4) European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice 267–291
  • Crofts, T, ‘Labelling Homicides’ in S Byrd, J Hruschka and J Joerden (eds), Annual Review of Law and Ethics, Vol. 17, Duncker and Humblot: Berlin (2009) 355–383
  • Crofts, T, ‘Two Degrees of Murder: Homicide Law Reform in England and Western Australia’ (2008) 8 Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 187–210
  • Crofts, T, ‘Lagging behind Europe: The criminalisation of children in England’ (2008) 2 Humanitas Journal of European Studies 1–17
  • Crofts, T & Summerfield, T, ‘Red Light on Sex Work in Western Australia’ (2008) 33 Alternative Law Journal 209–213
  • Crofts, T & Summerfield, T, ‘Licensing: Regulating Prostitution or Enforcing Morality?’ (2007) 33(2) University of Western Australia Law Review 289–306
  • Crofts, T, ‘Die Altersgrenzen im australischen Strafrecht’ (2007) 4 Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe 393–400
  • Crofts, T, ‘Wilful murder, murder – what’s in a name’ (2007) 19(1) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 49–63
  • Crofts, T, ‘Rape, the Mental Element and the Codes’ (2007) 7(1) QUT Law and Justice Journal 1–15
  • Crofts, T & Summerfield, T, ‘The Licensing of Sex Work in Australia and New Zealand’ (2006) 13 Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law 269–287
  • Crofts, T, ‘Wilful murderers in Western Australia soon to get away with murder?’ (2006) 31 Alternative Law Journal 203–205
  • Crofts, T, ‘Identifying the Criminal Act in Rape’ (2005) 29 Criminal Law Journal 237–243
  • Swensen, G & Crofts, T, ‘Reforms to Minor Cannabis Offences in the United Kingdom & Western Australia’ (2005) 1 Web Journal of Current Legal Issues (11,270 words)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Separating Issues of Life and Death’ in S Byrd, J Hruschka and J Joerden (eds), Annual Review of Law and Ethics, Volume 12, Duncker and Humblot: Berlin (2004) 465–480
  • Crofts, T, ‘The Rise of the Principle of Education in the German Juvenile Justice System’ (2004) 12 International Journal of Children’s Rights 401–417
  • Crofts, T, ‘Doli Incapax: Why Children Deserve its Protection’ (2003) 10(3) Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law (7,499 words)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The Oldest Profession: At Last to be Treated as a Profession?’ (2002) 6 Sister in Law 147–167
  • Crofts, T, ‘Prostitution Law Reform’ (2002) 27 Alternative Law Journal 184–187
  • Crofts, T & Stanglow, P, ‘Treatment of disease or genetic enhancement?’ in S Byrd, J Hruschka and J Joerden (eds), Annual Review of Law and Ethics, Volume 9 (2001) Duncker and Humblot: Berlin 219–247
  • Crofts, T, ‘Mit zehn Jahren strafmündig’ (1999) 111 Zeitschrift für die gesamte Strafrechtswissenschaft 728–741
  • Crofts, T, ‘Rebutting the Presumption of doli incapax’ (1998) 62 Journal of Criminal Law 185–193
  • Crofts, T, ‘Die strafrechtliche Verantwortung von Kindern in England’ (1996) 108 Zeitschrift für die gesamte Strafrechtswissenschaft 214–228


Short Articles, Book Reviews and Case Notes

  • Crofts, T & Tomsen, S, ‘Homicides, homosexual advances and male honour: will NSW act on provocation law?’, The Conversation 24 August 2012
  • Crofts, T, The Age of Innocence: Raising the Age of Criminal Responsibility’, Right Now 30 July 2012
  • Crofts, T, ‘Age-old question: when should children be responsible for their crimes?’, The Conversation 15 May 2012
  • Crofts, T, ‘Doli incapax: in defence of a defence’ (Dec 2008/ Jan 2009) Childright 19–21
  • Crofts, T, ‘Children’ (2008) 72(1) Journal of Criminal Law 8–10
  • Crofts, T, ‘A false alarm’ (2007) 157 New Law Journal 1226
  • Crofts, T, ‘Punishing Children in Western Australia’ (2004) 2 Carpe Diem 8–10
  • Crofts, T, ‘International Criminal Law (by Kriangsak Kittiasaree)’ (2002) 3 Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law 124–129
  • Crofts, T, ‘Einführung in die anglo-amerikanische Rechtssprache/ Introduction to Anglo-American Law & Language (by B. Sharon Byrd)’ (1998) 20 Jura 615–616
  • Stanglow, P and Crofts, T, ‘Kant’s Metaphysik der Sitten: 200 Jahre Tradition in der Unterscheidung von Recht und Moral’ (1997) 52 Juristen Zeitung 663–666


Encyclopaedia Entry

  • Crofts, T, Entries on constitutions of Australien, Großbritannien und Nordirland, Hongkong, Irland, Neuseeland, Singapur, Die Brockhaus Enzyklopädie (21st Edition) (2005-6)


Conference Papers/Seminars

  • Crofts, T, “‘Sexting’ and Criminal Responsibility: Inconsistency of ages: child pornography; consent; criminal responsibility’ Fourth Annual National Juvenile Justice Summit, Melbourne, Vic (2013)
  • Crofts, T, “'Sexting', Young People and Child Pornography”, Centre for Youth Work Studies Seminar Series, Hedonism: Young People, Sex, Drugs & Alcohol, Brunel University, London, UK (2013)
  • Crofts T, “'Sexting', Young People and Child Pornography”, Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice Seminar Series, University of Hull, UK (2013)
  • Crofts, T, ‘“Sexting”: Criminalisation of Childhood Sexuality’, Criminology Seminar Series, Monash University, Vic (2012)
  • Crofts, T & McGovern, A, ‘“Sexting”, Children and Child Pornography’, European Society of Criminology Conference, Criminology in the 21st Century: a Necessary Balance Between Freedom and Security, Bilbao, Spain (2012)
  • Crofts, T & McGovern, A, ‘“Sexting”: What’s the big deal’ Critical Criminology, Hobart, Changing the Way We Think about Change: Shifting Boundaries, Changing Lives, Tas (2012)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Innovations in Teaching Criminal Law’ Australasian Law Teachers Association Conference, Legal Education for a Global Community, Sydney NSW (2012)
  • Crofts, T &Lee, M, ‘“Sexting” and Young People: Sexualisation, Anxiety and Law’, Law and Society International Conference, Sociolegal Conversations Across A Sea of Islands, Hawaii, USA (2012)
  • Crofts, T, & Lee, M, ‘“Sexting” and Young People: Sexualisation, Anxiety and Law’, The Australian Sociological Association Conference, Local Lives/Global Networks, Newcastle NSW (2011)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Prohibited Behaviour Orders and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders: Lessons not Learned’, Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference, Crime and the regions: from the local to regional, national and international, Geelong, Vic (2011)
  • Crofts, T & Mitchell, T, ‘Policy Transfer and Indigenous Overrepresentation in the Criminal Justice System’, Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, Brisbane, Qld (2011)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The Reception of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders in Western Australia’, British Society of Criminology Conference, Economies and Insecurities of Crime and Justice, Newcastle, UK (2011)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Licensing Sex Work’ Law and Society Association Conference, Oceans Apart? Narratives of (Il)Legality in Liminal Locations, San Francisco, USA (2011)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Prohibitive Behaviour Orders: A New Challenge to Youth Anonymity’, Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference, Crime and Justice Challenges in the 21st Century: Victims, Offenders and Communities, Perth, WA (2009)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Categorisation of Homicide’, International Conference on Homicide, Australian Institute of Criminology, Gold Coast, Qld (2008)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Developments in Youth Justice’, Yorkshire Association of Youth Justice, Wakefield, UK (2008)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Homicide Law Reform in Western Australia’, Staff seminar, University of Birmingham, UK (2008)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Three Degrees of Homicide’, Australasian Law Teachers Association Conference, 'Law and Public Policy: Taming the Unruly Horse?', Perth, WA (2007)
  • Crofts, T & Summerfield, T ‘Licensing Prostitution’, Australasian Law Teachers Association Conference, 'Law and Public Policy: Taming the Unruly Horse?', Perth, WA (2007)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Common Law, Common Roots: The Development of Australian Law’, Europawoche, University of Wolfenbüttel, Germany (2006)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Politics, Public Policy and Media’, (with Dr S. Delmege), Everyday Transformations: Cultural Studies Association of Australasia Conference, Perth WA (2004)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Medical procedures and criminal defences’, Ethik der Medizin, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany (2003)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The presumption of criminal incapacity of children - do we still need it?’, Children and the Law: Issues in the Asia Pacific Region, Brisbane, Qld (2003)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Assessing the Criminal Liability of Children’ Australasian Law Teachers Association Conference, What is Law Good For?, Perth, WA (2002)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The History of the Criminal Liability of Children in Germany’, Australia and New Zealand Law and History Society Conference, Law’s Enterprise, Katoomba, NSW (2002)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Prostitution Law Reform’, Staff seminar, Murdoch University (2002)
  • Crofts, T, ‘The Current Euthanasia Debate in Australia’, Wissenschaftstheorie und Ethik der Medizin in Ostmitteleuropa, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany (2000)
  • Crofts, T, ‘Treatment of disease or genetic enhancement?’, Follow Up Session to the Human Analysed, Memphis, USA (1999)
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