Reducing imprisonment rates in Australia: international experiences, marginal populations and a focus on the overrepresentation of Indigenous people. The purpose of this study is to test the validity of factors influencing imprisonment rates and initiatives that have been trialed in other jurisdictions to decrease prison numbers for the Australian situation. The expected outcome is to identify ways to reduce the prison population, most particularly the over-representation of Indigenous people.
Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. This project aims to develop an optimised methodology that uses illicit drug profiling for operational intelligence. The fight against the illicit drug trade suffers from a relatively ineffective use of forensic science, predominantly applied as a reactive tool for court purposes after the commission of a crime, and a general under-utilisation of available information by Australian forensic drug lab ....Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. This project aims to develop an optimised methodology that uses illicit drug profiling for operational intelligence. The fight against the illicit drug trade suffers from a relatively ineffective use of forensic science, predominantly applied as a reactive tool for court purposes after the commission of a crime, and a general under-utilisation of available information by Australian forensic drug laboratories whose scientific results contribute minimally to active operations. This project’s methodology, which uses forensic science proactively for intelligence rather than reactively for courts, is expected to make the fight against organised crime more effective and support the three pillars of the Australian National Drug Strategy (supply, demand and harm reduction).Read moreRead less
Managing family objection to autopsy: a case study of the Queensland coronial system. Exploring how coroners, police, counsellors, and pathologists engage with families after the shock of a sudden or violent death, and the resulting development of an e-resource, enables a consistent and transparent whole system approach to be established. The expected benefits for the Coronial system will include: a decrease in unnecessary autopsies, a flow on to minimising staffing shortages, and an overall de ....Managing family objection to autopsy: a case study of the Queensland coronial system. Exploring how coroners, police, counsellors, and pathologists engage with families after the shock of a sudden or violent death, and the resulting development of an e-resource, enables a consistent and transparent whole system approach to be established. The expected benefits for the Coronial system will include: a decrease in unnecessary autopsies, a flow on to minimising staffing shortages, and an overall decrease in the cost of a death investigation. The benefits to the community will include: enhanced police relations with families, including those from minority religions and cultures, more informed and appropriate decision making by coroners, less invasive autopsies by pathologists, and more focused intervention by counsellors.Read moreRead less
Violence and disengagement from violence in young men's lives . This project will study the significance of victimisation, perpetration and the watching of violence and images of violence, among young Australian men. It will explore the underlying links with masculine identity and have practical applications for developing an understanding of the unknown aspects of disengagement from involvements in violence.
Exporting risk: the Australian deportation project. This study will investigate the use of deportation. It will test our claim that deportation has a significant impact on institutions, individuals and communities, and will contribute to a more ethically and legally robust approach to deportation.
Nothing works? Re-appraising research on Indigenous-focused crime and justice programs. Research on Indigenous-focused crime and justice programs often finds little or no impact on outcomes such as reductions in re-offending. This project aims to determine whether such findings are an accurate reflection of program ineffectiveness or are a consequence of how the research was carried out. With an analysis of three case studies of crime and justice programs, this project aims to show why findings ....Nothing works? Re-appraising research on Indigenous-focused crime and justice programs. Research on Indigenous-focused crime and justice programs often finds little or no impact on outcomes such as reductions in re-offending. This project aims to determine whether such findings are an accurate reflection of program ineffectiveness or are a consequence of how the research was carried out. With an analysis of three case studies of crime and justice programs, this project aims to show why findings that show no difference in re-offending outcomes may occur, and offer a more Indigenous-centric methodology to assess program effectiveness. Comparisons will be made with indigenous methodologies used in New Zealand and Canada.Read moreRead less
An international perspective on redress for institutional abuse. This project aims to produce a comparative analysis of redress for institutional abuse, understand survivors' aspirations for justice, and map theoretical developments in the field. Institutional abuse of children is a social and legal problem in many nations. The major responses to this problem are public inquiries, criminal prosecution, civil litigation and redress schemes. The project intends to gather data on 35 redress schemes ....An international perspective on redress for institutional abuse. This project aims to produce a comparative analysis of redress for institutional abuse, understand survivors' aspirations for justice, and map theoretical developments in the field. Institutional abuse of children is a social and legal problem in many nations. The major responses to this problem are public inquiries, criminal prosecution, civil litigation and redress schemes. The project intends to gather data on 35 redress schemes in 13 jurisdictions, building on previous research on redress in Australia and Canada. The intended outcome is an authoritative and comprehensive research platform for developing redress policies and practices that can inform and guide Australian society in a compassionate and cohesive direction.Read moreRead less
Understanding how criminals decide where and when to offend. By building a comprehensive model of offender mobility, we will better able to describe what influences burglar preferences about where and when to commit crime. This understanding will enable the development of more effective crime prevention projects.
Managing migrants and border control in Britain and Australia, 1901-1981. This project aims to historicise the creation and control of ‘suspect’ migrant communities and the restrictions on the further immigration of members of these groups by the British and Australian authorities from 1900-81. The project aims to scrutinise the creation of 'suspect communities' and the policies of surveillance, community control and restricted entry. The expected outcome is to show that such policies and practi ....Managing migrants and border control in Britain and Australia, 1901-1981. This project aims to historicise the creation and control of ‘suspect’ migrant communities and the restrictions on the further immigration of members of these groups by the British and Australian authorities from 1900-81. The project aims to scrutinise the creation of 'suspect communities' and the policies of surveillance, community control and restricted entry. The expected outcome is to show that such policies and practices did not prevent Britain and Australia from becoming multicultural societies by the 1970s. This will provide a greater understanding of how Britain and Australia’s border control systems have evolved since 1900 and how past historical policies relate to contemporary practices.Read moreRead less
Restorative Justice for Victims and Serious Offenders. This project investigates how to reduce the human costs of serious crime through Restorative Justice (RJ) processes that can help victims recover from the trauma of serious crimes and hold offenders accountable for their actions. The project will (1) provide an independent and rigorous assessment of the RJ program for the industry partner, (2) contribute to an evidence-based national debate on policy responses to serious crimes through ident ....Restorative Justice for Victims and Serious Offenders. This project investigates how to reduce the human costs of serious crime through Restorative Justice (RJ) processes that can help victims recover from the trauma of serious crimes and hold offenders accountable for their actions. The project will (1) provide an independent and rigorous assessment of the RJ program for the industry partner, (2) contribute to an evidence-based national debate on policy responses to serious crimes through identifying the strengths and limitations of RJ and showing how RJ can be optimally practised to maximise benefits for all participants and the wider community, and (3) contribute significantly to the theory and practice of RJ, enhancing Australia's international reputation as a leader in this research area.Read moreRead less