Towards an effective practice model for youth detention. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an innovative government program, which seeks to enhance the safety and rehabilitative culture of juvenile detention centres by increasing staff interpersonal skills through specialist training, coaching and supervision. The project is expected to identify best practice principles, allowing government departments to focus efforts on training and staff support to provide a higher quality wor ....Towards an effective practice model for youth detention. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an innovative government program, which seeks to enhance the safety and rehabilitative culture of juvenile detention centres by increasing staff interpersonal skills through specialist training, coaching and supervision. The project is expected to identify best practice principles, allowing government departments to focus efforts on training and staff support to provide a higher quality work force. An evidence based framework will be developed in consultation with juvenile justice agencies across Australia. This will potentially improve outcomes for young people in custody and the wider community.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
A Future Beyond the Wall: Improving Post-release Employment Outcomes for People Leaving Prison. Engaging in meaningful work has been shown to reduce re-offending by ex-prisoners, but few prison releasees internationally or in Australia gain employment, and successful pathways to employment for this group are poorly researched and understood. This study aims to gather and analyse, for the first time, comparative data from Australian jurisdictions and employment agencies on the relationship betwee ....A Future Beyond the Wall: Improving Post-release Employment Outcomes for People Leaving Prison. Engaging in meaningful work has been shown to reduce re-offending by ex-prisoners, but few prison releasees internationally or in Australia gain employment, and successful pathways to employment for this group are poorly researched and understood. This study aims to gather and analyse, for the first time, comparative data from Australian jurisdictions and employment agencies on the relationship between in-prison and post-prison vocational education and employment programs, employment and recidivism. It aims to identify effective elements, strategies, program and policy directions in offender training and employment. This is a unique partnership amongst key academics in the field, peak national bodies, correctional and employment organisations.Read moreRead less
Positive life pathways for vulnerable adolescents: The role of a life management program approach. Young people in contact with the criminal justice system who have problematic use of drugs and alcohol often lack opportunities for social and economic participation in society and many continue offending into adulthood. This project aims to examine and analyse the short and longer term outcomes and pathways of such young people who participate in a Program for Adolescent Life Management compared w ....Positive life pathways for vulnerable adolescents: The role of a life management program approach. Young people in contact with the criminal justice system who have problematic use of drugs and alcohol often lack opportunities for social and economic participation in society and many continue offending into adulthood. This project aims to examine and analyse the short and longer term outcomes and pathways of such young people who participate in a Program for Adolescent Life Management compared with similar young people who have not completed such a program. The findings aim to directly inform policies and programs, including life management, drug and alcohol and other support programs to better address multiple needs among this vulnerable group.Read moreRead less
Community sanctions in Australian criminal justice. This project aims to understand the place of community sanctions in the Australian criminal justice system. At a time of record high imprisonment rates, community sanctions that are alternatives to prison do not have a clear purpose. This limits evaluation of their effectiveness and undermines public confidence in criminal justice. The project will examine the use of community sanctions for Indigenous people, women and people with mental/cognit ....Community sanctions in Australian criminal justice. This project aims to understand the place of community sanctions in the Australian criminal justice system. At a time of record high imprisonment rates, community sanctions that are alternatives to prison do not have a clear purpose. This limits evaluation of their effectiveness and undermines public confidence in criminal justice. The project will examine the use of community sanctions for Indigenous people, women and people with mental/cognitive impairment in three jurisdictions. This is intended to inform scholarly and public debates and to contribute to policies and practices that reduce inequality and enhance justice.Read moreRead less
Housing sex offenders. This project aims to generate important new knowledge on the governance of sex offenders after prison release, specifically in relation to housing. The project intends to enhance understanding of administrative norms regarding released sex offender housing arrangements by comparing processes across jurisdictions in order to identify 'best practice' that can be beneficial for the key stakeholders involved. The findings should help drive the development of sex offender manag ....Housing sex offenders. This project aims to generate important new knowledge on the governance of sex offenders after prison release, specifically in relation to housing. The project intends to enhance understanding of administrative norms regarding released sex offender housing arrangements by comparing processes across jurisdictions in order to identify 'best practice' that can be beneficial for the key stakeholders involved. The findings should help drive the development of sex offender management and housing assistance programs that reduce re-offending and costly repeat contacts with criminal justice services. Intended benefits include insights that inform future housing assistance and a cost-effective reduction of re-offending.Read moreRead less
Understanding and working with anger in male Indigenous people in prison settings. Anger has links to many important outcomes in the prison environment, including violent behaviour, institutional conflict and self-harm. The nature and consequences of anger have rarely been investigated for imprisoned offenders and little is known about anger in male Indigenous Australians in prison, despite evidence that anger levels in this group are particularly high. This research will explore constitutive, ....Understanding and working with anger in male Indigenous people in prison settings. Anger has links to many important outcomes in the prison environment, including violent behaviour, institutional conflict and self-harm. The nature and consequences of anger have rarely been investigated for imprisoned offenders and little is known about anger in male Indigenous Australians in prison, despite evidence that anger levels in this group are particularly high. This research will explore constitutive, regulatory, procedural and other aspects of anger with male Indigenous prisoners, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, leading to the development of an intervention that will improve both the wellbeing and adjustment of Indigenous men in prison and rehabilitation outcomes.Read moreRead less
BREAKING THE JUVENILE CRIME CYCLE: REHABILITATING HIGH RISK YOUNG OFFENDERS. Effective rehabilitation of young offenders is an urgent social need. Using mathematical modelling of longitudinal population data, we will identify predictors of recidivism, desistance, health risk behaviours, and/or progression to injecting drug use. Collaborating with NSW Department of Juvenile Justice and NSW Corrections Health Service, we will develop and trial community-based multisystemic interventions using the ....BREAKING THE JUVENILE CRIME CYCLE: REHABILITATING HIGH RISK YOUNG OFFENDERS. Effective rehabilitation of young offenders is an urgent social need. Using mathematical modelling of longitudinal population data, we will identify predictors of recidivism, desistance, health risk behaviours, and/or progression to injecting drug use. Collaborating with NSW Department of Juvenile Justice and NSW Corrections Health Service, we will develop and trial community-based multisystemic interventions using the transtheoretical model to reduce re-offending. This project will advance theoretical understanding of juvenile crime, its health and substance abuse patterns, and offence trajectories, thereby facilitating effective policies and practices to reduce recidivism, improve health and create prosocial alternatives for young Australians at risk of a criminal career.Read moreRead less
A comparative analysis of youth punishment in Australia and the United Kingdom. This project is a comparative Australian and United Kingdom investigation of penal policy and the punishment of juvenile offenders. The research analyses the changing approaches to juvenile incarceration, particularly in the context of perceived effects on crime and the substantial public and social costs of incarceration.
The impact of solitary confinement on convicts, 1817-1853. This project aims to explore the impact of solitary confinement on the health and well-being of 72,500 convicts transported to Australia between 1817 and 1853. It will do so by linking detailed life course histories for these men and women to psychiatric admission data for Tasmanian 19th century institutions. The project results will inform policy as well as increasing on-line access to Australia's UNESCO Memory of the World registered c ....The impact of solitary confinement on convicts, 1817-1853. This project aims to explore the impact of solitary confinement on the health and well-being of 72,500 convicts transported to Australia between 1817 and 1853. It will do so by linking detailed life course histories for these men and women to psychiatric admission data for Tasmanian 19th century institutions. The project results will inform policy as well as increasing on-line access to Australia's UNESCO Memory of the World registered convict records. The project outcomes will help to contextualise the risks associated with different types and rates of solitary confinement exposure.Read moreRead less