Complicit – Not Guilty by Association

Complicit addresses the urgent need for criminal justice reform in Australia and beyond. Across Australia, the UK, and the US, “guilt by association” laws—such as Joint Enterprise and Felony Murder—are being used to convict people, often from marginalised communities, for crimes they did not personally commit. These laws amplify systemic racism, erode faith in legal institutions, and perpetuate cycles of incarceration and inequality.

The series seeks to raise public awareness, galvanise debate, and inspire criminal justice reform by amplifying the voices of those most affected—incarcerated individuals, their families, and the campaigners and legal experts fighting for their freedom.

Complicit aims to ignite urgent public and political conversation around the need for criminal justice reform in Australia, the UK, and the US. By exposing how “guilt by association” laws—such as Joint Enterprise and Felony Murder—continue to produce miscarriages of justice, the series seeks to challenge the assumptions that underpin collective punishment and redefine what fairness in law should mean.

With unprecedented access to those imprisoned under these doctrines, their families, and legal advocates, Complicit has genuine potential to influence bill reform and counter the ongoing miscarriages of justice unfolding daily in courtrooms across these nations. The parallels between these legal systems and others around the world underscore the global urgency of this issue—making Complicit not just a series, but a catalyst for meaningful change.

Complicit seeks to transform public understanding of “guilt by association” laws and their devastating human impact. The series aims to shift the conversation about criminal justice reform from the activist and legislative spheres into the public sphere—inviting audiences to question how fairness and accountability are defined, and who our systems truly serve. By revealing the emotional, moral, and systemic consequences of laws like Joint Enterprise and Felony Murder, Complicit aspires to build empathy, awareness, and collective will for change. If public support can be galvanised, it will add crucial pressure on lawmakers and institutions, helping to fuel systemic reform and counter ongoing miscarriages of justice across Australia, the UK, and the US.

Through the development and filming of our proof-of-concept sizzle, we’ve established unparalleled access to the communities and advocacy groups at the heart of this story—organisations such as JENGbA, FMEP, Kids of Colour, and the Ben Kinsella Trust. Their support not only strengthens the authenticity of Complicit but also expands its reach and impact. In addition, our relationships with the legal teams leading several key cases provide direct access to parliamentarians and policymakers engaged in meaningful bill reform. This network ensures the series can speak to—and be seen by—the very audiences capable of driving systemic change.

While Complicit does not deliver a direct call to action, its purpose is deeply civic and transformative. The series seeks to inform, educate, and spark dialogue around the often-unbelievable miscarriages of justice occurring under “guilt by association” laws. By bringing these stories into public view, Complicit encourages audiences to question how justice is defined and administered, and to recognise the human cost of collective punishment.

Our goal is not to campaign, but to ignite empathy and awareness—creating the social and cultural momentum from which reform can grow. Through conversation, media coverage, and community screenings, Complicit will help move the issue of wrongful conviction from the margins of legal debate into mainstream public consciousness.