Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal sex-offenders in Australia: Assessing risk for practice and policy. A key priority of Australian governments is to improve community safety through reducing the risk of sex offenders re-offending after release from prison. This project will assess the validity of tools used to predict the risk of sexual offender recidivism and identify alternate risk assessment tools for Indigenous and non-Indigenous sex offenders.
Emerging from the shadows: the evaluation of intervention strategies to reduce social isolation amongst the aged. Social isolation imposes a high cost on affected individuals and the community at large. This project will determine what interventions work in addressing social isolation amongst the older population.
Understanding and reducing alcohol-related harm among young adults in urban settings: Opportunities for intervention. Alcohol use is a major contributing factor to injury and death, with 2634 young Australians dying from alcohol-related causes in the decade to 2004. Local governments (LGs) urgently require research evidence on which to base policy to reduce alcohol-related harms. The project will provide an analysis of patterns of alcohol consumption by young adults in inner and peri-urban (grow ....Understanding and reducing alcohol-related harm among young adults in urban settings: Opportunities for intervention. Alcohol use is a major contributing factor to injury and death, with 2634 young Australians dying from alcohol-related causes in the decade to 2004. Local governments (LGs) urgently require research evidence on which to base policy to reduce alcohol-related harms. The project will provide an analysis of patterns of alcohol consumption by young adults in inner and peri-urban (growth corridor) LG areas, along with information about how young adults view alcohol use. In collaboration with industry partners VicHealth, the Victorian Department of Human Services, the Municipal Association of Victoria and LGs in Hume and Yarra, specific policy recommendations for implementation at LG, state and national levels will be developed and disseminated. Read moreRead less
Informal sport as a health and social resource for diverse young people. This project aims to investigate the contribution that informal sports participation makes to wellbeing amongst diverse young people, and ways in which governments, sport and health agencies can effectively support this participation. The project expects to generate new knowledge of how informal sports are self-organised and sustained, factors enabling and inhibiting participation, and will provide a detailed evidence base ....Informal sport as a health and social resource for diverse young people. This project aims to investigate the contribution that informal sports participation makes to wellbeing amongst diverse young people, and ways in which governments, sport and health agencies can effectively support this participation. The project expects to generate new knowledge of how informal sports are self-organised and sustained, factors enabling and inhibiting participation, and will provide a detailed evidence base for the economic and social impact of informal participation. Expected outcomes include the provision of coherent guidance for government, sport and health agencies who will be better equipped to support informal sports opportunities for diverse young people that delivers an enhanced health outcome.Read moreRead less
Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and p ....Protecting while they prosper? Organisational responses to whistleblowing. This project aims to examine the adequacy of organisational responses to whistleblowing (employee reporting of wrongdoing). So far, research into public-interest whistleblowing has revealed much about the incidence, significance and experience of whistleblowers. This project now extends the research to the other side of the issue — the organisations. By comparing employee and managerial experience in multiple public and private sector organisations in Australia and New Zealand, the project intends to identify the factors that influence good and bad responses across a range of institutions; provide a clearer basis for reform of policies, procedures and law; and set benchmarks for comparative research worldwide.Read moreRead less
We can’t afford not to: supporting young people within their families and communities from early adolescence to early adulthood. This project aims to address the problem of young people not in education or work. It will identify solutions about what, how and when families, communities and governments can most effectively support young people with different risk factors to remain or become fully socially and economically engaged from early adolescence to adulthood.
Infrastructure project delivery: a life cycle evaluation model for public private partnerships. Governments continue to embrace public-private partnerships so as to obtain value for money and provide financial accountability to taxpayers. This project will determine the most appropriate way to engage the private sector in infrastructure delivery and develop a dynamic life cycle evaluation model to ensure projects are delivered effectively and efficiently.
Corporate political activity of tobacco, alcohol and gambling companies in Australia. This project investigates how tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries influence the policy process, by stalling or defeating the implementation of effective public health policies in favour of ones which do not affect profit. The study will develop guidelines for industry-government interaction to ensure maximum public benefit.
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
Leveraging research and development (R and D) for the Australian built environment. This project will evaluate impacts, diffusion mechanisms and uptake of research and development (R and D) in the Australian building and construction industry. Building on a retrospective analysis and industry consultation, a future-focussed industry roadmap will be developed to establish R and D policies to inform and improve R and D investment effectiveness.