Preventing terrorism through community-based approaches. This project aims to investigate the prevention of terrorism. It will examine approaches that involve police community engagement and local responses to violent extremism. This is a significant issue given communities are a key line of defence against terrorism. Expecting to generate new knowledge about counter-terrorism by examining policies adopted in Australia and abroad, the project will identify models of best practice for the prevent ....Preventing terrorism through community-based approaches. This project aims to investigate the prevention of terrorism. It will examine approaches that involve police community engagement and local responses to violent extremism. This is a significant issue given communities are a key line of defence against terrorism. Expecting to generate new knowledge about counter-terrorism by examining policies adopted in Australia and abroad, the project will identify models of best practice for the prevention of terrorism, ascertaining how community partnerships against terrorism can be improved. This will provide significant benefits by assisting police, government agencies, community groups and local service providers to implement and evaluate strategies that prevent terrorism.Read moreRead less
Preventing child sexual abuse by understanding perpetrators’ motivations. This project aims to investigate, for the first time, the experiential motivations of child sexual abuse perpetrators. Using a novel theoretical and methodological approach, it expects to discover new knowledge about the motivations of child sexual abuse perpetrators. Expected outcomes include new theoretical explanations for child sexual abuse perpetration and transformed policy and practice measures to prevent and respon ....Preventing child sexual abuse by understanding perpetrators’ motivations. This project aims to investigate, for the first time, the experiential motivations of child sexual abuse perpetrators. Using a novel theoretical and methodological approach, it expects to discover new knowledge about the motivations of child sexual abuse perpetrators. Expected outcomes include new theoretical explanations for child sexual abuse perpetration and transformed policy and practice measures to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in Australia and beyond. This should provide significant benefits, such as reduction of the widespread, severe and costly impacts of child sexual abuse, and an evidence base to support and enhance government initiatives such as the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse. Read moreRead less
Detecting, preventing and responding to image-based abuse. This project aims to investigate the efficacy of digital tools and interventions to detect, prevent and respond to image-based abuse (the non-consensual creation or distribution of intimate images). Through a digital ethnography, victim and stakeholder interviews, online surveys, and an AI chatbot, the project expects to generate evidence and theory on both image-based abuse and internet governance. The expected outcomes include: increas ....Detecting, preventing and responding to image-based abuse. This project aims to investigate the efficacy of digital tools and interventions to detect, prevent and respond to image-based abuse (the non-consensual creation or distribution of intimate images). Through a digital ethnography, victim and stakeholder interviews, online surveys, and an AI chatbot, the project expects to generate evidence and theory on both image-based abuse and internet governance. The expected outcomes include: increased understanding of the responsibility of digital platforms and the drivers of image-based abuse; improved platform and service responses; enhanced industry and scholarly collaborations; and harm reduction. Expected benefits include improved laws, polices and practices to tackle image-based abuse.Read moreRead less
Generations through prison: a critical exploration of the causes, experiences, and consequences of intergenerational incarceration. Around one third of the 30,000 prisoners in Australia are children or relatives of former prisoners, but very little is known about the causes, experiences and impacts of intergenerational incarceration. This project will redress this research deficit and help prevent the disproportionate recurrence of incarceration in particular familial lineages.
The ties that bind: fraudulent groups, collective action and fraud risk. This project investigates fraud in contemporary Australia. Drawing on multiple data sources including interviews with convicted fraud perpetrators, the study examines the opportunities, motivations and rationalisations of groups engaged in fraud and offers insights to improve the detection and prevention of fraud in practice.
Suspect sciences: Enhancing emerging identification technologies and forensic expertise. This project will enhance national security and the safety of Australians. It represents an innovative response to uncertainties associated with the use of identification technologies in national security operations, policing and criminal prosecutions. The project will provide those developing and using identification technologies and evidence with a much clearer indication of their capabilities and limitati ....Suspect sciences: Enhancing emerging identification technologies and forensic expertise. This project will enhance national security and the safety of Australians. It represents an innovative response to uncertainties associated with the use of identification technologies in national security operations, policing and criminal prosecutions. The project will provide those developing and using identification technologies and evidence with a much clearer indication of their capabilities and limitations. It will help to prevent exaggerated interpretations and will reduce the incidence of mistaken identifications. It will encourage more efficient use of surveillance infrastructures and prevent citizens from being 'identified', accused and wrongfully convicted on the basis of unreliable or error prone techniques and opinions.Read moreRead less
What about the children? A study of the intergenerational consequences of paternal incarceration. Parental incarceration may have a profound and detrimental effect on children, heightening risk of offending and extreme disadvantage. The proportion of children affected is certain to increase as prison populations continue to grow. This research will identify policies and prevention strategies that will interrupt the cycle of disadvantage for children of prisoners and prevent social exclusion. Sig ....What about the children? A study of the intergenerational consequences of paternal incarceration. Parental incarceration may have a profound and detrimental effect on children, heightening risk of offending and extreme disadvantage. The proportion of children affected is certain to increase as prison populations continue to grow. This research will identify policies and prevention strategies that will interrupt the cycle of disadvantage for children of prisoners and prevent social exclusion. Significant cost-savings and prevention of victimisation could result from effectively targeting this high-risk population, reducing risk of offending and increasing the young person's ability to contribute meaningfully to society. Appropriately timed programs can deliver a range of long-term benefits for children, families and communities.Read moreRead less
DNA and the missing: ancient DNA and advanced forensic identification. Identifying the remains of missing persons, disaster victims and war dead is of major social and cultural importance and has significant implications for national and international justice systems. This project will apply expertise in analysis of ancient DNA to build capacity and expertise within Australia to identify highly degraded human remains.
Engaging Muslims in the fight against terrorism. This project aims to investigate engagement between the Australian police and Muslim communities by emphasising mutual fairness, voice, neutrality and respect. Collaboration from Muslims is essential in strategies to prevent terrorist activities The project will identify how police use procedural justice and when and why Muslims are most receptive to procedural justice. It is expected this will enhance police relationships with Muslims and assist ....Engaging Muslims in the fight against terrorism. This project aims to investigate engagement between the Australian police and Muslim communities by emphasising mutual fairness, voice, neutrality and respect. Collaboration from Muslims is essential in strategies to prevent terrorist activities The project will identify how police use procedural justice and when and why Muslims are most receptive to procedural justice. It is expected this will enhance police relationships with Muslims and assist measures in terrorism prevention.Read moreRead less
Testing theoretical propositions concerning the onset and progression of child-sex offending, and field testing a new sexual abuse prevention model. Child sexual abuse poses serious threats to the health and well-being of Australian children. Data from a variety of sources indicate that, for a variety of reasons, Indigenous children are exposed to a heightened risk of sexual abuse. The present project is expected to lead to new discoveries about the causes of sexual abuse and to new evidence-bas ....Testing theoretical propositions concerning the onset and progression of child-sex offending, and field testing a new sexual abuse prevention model. Child sexual abuse poses serious threats to the health and well-being of Australian children. Data from a variety of sources indicate that, for a variety of reasons, Indigenous children are exposed to a heightened risk of sexual abuse. The present project is expected to lead to new discoveries about the causes of sexual abuse and to new evidence-based prevention methods both within Indigenous communities and in the wider community. The project will therefore contribute at a national level, as well as at a local community level, to broader efforts to improve the life chances of Australian children.Read moreRead less