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History in the Making

For the past 25 years the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has been changing the shape of Victoria's legal landscape. Now, for the first time, this remarkable history has been captured in The Pursuit of Justice: 25 years of the DPP in Victoria.

This publication traces how Victoria's six DPPs have shaped this state's criminal justice system through driving legislative reforms and through the prosecution of some of the state's most complex trials.

In 1983, Victoria became the first jurisdiction in Australia to establish a Director of Public Prosecutions, following the enactment of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act the previous year.

"Victoria was the first jurisdiction to wholly remove the powers to prosecute serious crime from political and police control. The Victorian model led the way for all other Australian jurisdictions - and many others worldwide - and as such, is considered a landmark in the history of the administration of criminal justice in Australia," said Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Rapke, QC.

The Pursuit of Justice is more than a commemorative book. It has been written with students and legal academics in mind, and is both an engaging and informative look at what has been a remarkable 25 years in the history of criminal justice in Victoria.

The book will be available in a range of law libraries across Victoria, and a PDF version is available on our website.

For further information about the publication, please contact: Ann Strunks, Senior Communications Adviser on 03 960 37467