Everyday Incivilities. The study aims to provide the best available evidence on the seriousness of everyday incivilities between strangers in public places as a social problem in Australian society. This will involve gathering self-report data from socially diverse Australians for the purpose of exploring social group differences in (i) the type and prevalence of everyday incivilities experienced, and (ii) the social and psychological costs of exposure to everyday incivilities. The information ....Everyday Incivilities. The study aims to provide the best available evidence on the seriousness of everyday incivilities between strangers in public places as a social problem in Australian society. This will involve gathering self-report data from socially diverse Australians for the purpose of exploring social group differences in (i) the type and prevalence of everyday incivilities experienced, and (ii) the social and psychological costs of exposure to everyday incivilities. The information gathered will be used to identify high risk social groups and public places, and serve as a basis for developing programs for reducing everyday incivilities.Read moreRead less
Combating the financing of terrorism: enhancing security or compromising civil rights and democracy? To enhance security without compromising civil rights and democracy is a key challenge facing government in Australia and internationally. Legislative and policy developments related to combating the financing of terrorism are at the forefront of attempts to safeguard Australia from terrorism. The research will bring new knowledge to these policy and legislative developments; stimulate debate, pr ....Combating the financing of terrorism: enhancing security or compromising civil rights and democracy? To enhance security without compromising civil rights and democracy is a key challenge facing government in Australia and internationally. Legislative and policy developments related to combating the financing of terrorism are at the forefront of attempts to safeguard Australia from terrorism. The research will bring new knowledge to these policy and legislative developments; stimulate debate, provide important insights to government, law enforcement, and financial regulators; and give voice to communities, organisations, and individuals directly affected. The project will assist in ensuring that government measures meet the challenge of being effective without unduly compromising civil rights or democracy. Read moreRead less
Juror confidence in justice: democratic participation or deference to authority? Australia will be better protected from terrorism and crime if its justice system has the confidence of its citizens. Currently it does not. Without such confidence, justice offers neither a credible deterrent nor a protector of rights. Courts are typically designed and run using a hierarchical model of authority, while new therapeutic and restorative approaches make justice processes more democratic. There is litt ....Juror confidence in justice: democratic participation or deference to authority? Australia will be better protected from terrorism and crime if its justice system has the confidence of its citizens. Currently it does not. Without such confidence, justice offers neither a credible deterrent nor a protector of rights. Courts are typically designed and run using a hierarchical model of authority, while new therapeutic and restorative approaches make justice processes more democratic. There is little evidence of how either of these impacts on justice for participants. Understanding the process by which people develop trust during one critical adjudicative process, the jury trial, will allow juries, and other forms of lay decision-making in judicial processes, to be used more effectively in the justice system.Read moreRead less
Managing compliance with procedural justice: The role of motivational postures, legitimacy and emotion. Regulatory authorities exist to ensure that members of the public comply with their obligations under the law. At the same time, however, regulators should not exercise their authority in ways that result in the alienation of the public. Using social science methodology, this project will examine the role that procedurally fair regulation can play in promoting trust and confidence in authoriti ....Managing compliance with procedural justice: The role of motivational postures, legitimacy and emotion. Regulatory authorities exist to ensure that members of the public comply with their obligations under the law. At the same time, however, regulators should not exercise their authority in ways that result in the alienation of the public. Using social science methodology, this project will examine the role that procedurally fair regulation can play in promoting trust and confidence in authorities. The national and community benefits of this project will include ascertaining how greater levels of cooperation and compliance with regulatory decisions and laws can be facilitated; particularly among those who may feel disgruntled with their experiences with authority.Read moreRead less
Developing a Regulatory Framework for Mass DNA Screenings: A comparative study of public requests by crime investigators for bodily samples. The aim of the proposed study is to devise a principled model for regulating the performance of mass DNA screenings by Australian police. A ?mass DNA screening? is a public appeal by criminal investigators for bodily samples in order to test whether donors can be linked to a particular unsolved crime. Recent law reform inquires have recognised that the var ....Developing a Regulatory Framework for Mass DNA Screenings: A comparative study of public requests by crime investigators for bodily samples. The aim of the proposed study is to devise a principled model for regulating the performance of mass DNA screenings by Australian police. A ?mass DNA screening? is a public appeal by criminal investigators for bodily samples in order to test whether donors can be linked to a particular unsolved crime. Recent law reform inquires have recognised that the various legal regimes governing mass DNA screenings are inadequate in many respects. The study will develop a new regulatory framework suitable for implementation in all Australian jurisdictions through a principled consideration of laws and recent practice in Australian and comparative jurisdictions.Read moreRead less
The contribution of youth development programs in preventing youth crime, drug and alcohol misuse and suicide. The key question is how much youth organizations (e.g., Scouts) promote positive development in at-risk youth and reduce crime and other problems. The effectiveness of youth programs in achieving this goal will be assessed through an audit of organizational activities, interviews and questionnaires with leaders and young people, and observation. Despite reports that up to 20% of partici ....The contribution of youth development programs in preventing youth crime, drug and alcohol misuse and suicide. The key question is how much youth organizations (e.g., Scouts) promote positive development in at-risk youth and reduce crime and other problems. The effectiveness of youth programs in achieving this goal will be assessed through an audit of organizational activities, interviews and questionnaires with leaders and young people, and observation. Despite reports that up to 20% of participants are at-risk young people, there is no evidence to support claims of positive outcomes for this group. This project will measure how much risk factors for youth crime are reduced and participation in school, family and community organizations is enhanced through involvement in youth programs, and analyse the ways in which positive outcomes are achieved.Read moreRead less
Globalisation and the policing of internal borders. This project aims to examine processes of social inclusion and exclusion under conditions of globalisation. It investigates the enforcement of immigration law and related policies that divide populations according to hierarchies of effective citizenship. The aim is to identify more inclusive approaches to governance suitable for a globally connected world. The project aims to identify and promulgate positive examples of community and organisati ....Globalisation and the policing of internal borders. This project aims to examine processes of social inclusion and exclusion under conditions of globalisation. It investigates the enforcement of immigration law and related policies that divide populations according to hierarchies of effective citizenship. The aim is to identify more inclusive approaches to governance suitable for a globally connected world. The project aims to identify and promulgate positive examples of community and organisational practices that maximise social inclusiveness.Read moreRead less
Policing for the 21st Century. This project will design and evaluate an innovative policing strategy for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The project team, including members of the Australian Federal Police, will conduct an exhaustive inventory of mechanisms for informing and consulting the public, and for empowering communities in the co-production of public safety. It will design a framework using those mechanisms best suited to the ACT, and integrate these with existing strategies of ....Policing for the 21st Century. This project will design and evaluate an innovative policing strategy for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The project team, including members of the Australian Federal Police, will conduct an exhaustive inventory of mechanisms for informing and consulting the public, and for empowering communities in the co-production of public safety. It will design a framework using those mechanisms best suited to the ACT, and integrate these with existing strategies of restorative justice and intelligence-driven policing. The project will evaluate the impact of the new policing strategies on citizen satisfaction with police performance, perceptions of public safety, and measures of crime.Read moreRead less