Criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in Australia: A national study. The project aims to assess the policing and enforcement of public order crimes and related offences (e.g. obstruct/disobey police, breach of bail, and minor property offences) on individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. The project endeavours to collect and analyse qualitative data from across Australia on the lived experience of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, regarding the impact of crimin ....Criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in Australia: A national study. The project aims to assess the policing and enforcement of public order crimes and related offences (e.g. obstruct/disobey police, breach of bail, and minor property offences) on individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. The project endeavours to collect and analyse qualitative data from across Australia on the lived experience of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, regarding the impact of criminal laws and police powers concerned with presence in, and movement around public places. It will particularly focus on the impact on women, children and Indigenous peoples. The outcomes will seek to reduce the criminalisation of homeless people, by identifying law and policy reform options, and comparing their cost with that of 'business as usual'.Read moreRead less
Gauging informed public opinion on sentencing sex offenders: a national study. Sex offences appear to attract the greatest community condemnation and desire to punish, particularly when involving predatory stranger rapists or when the victims are children. This national study aims to ascertain informed public opinion on sex offender sentencing by exploring the views of jurors in sex offence trials in all higher courts in Australia.
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.
A legally-informed intervention for schools to prevent and intervene in cases of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a growing problem for young people as well as amongst adults in the workplace. This project will develop and trial a legally-informed intervention which will be delivered by young people in order to increase student, parent and teacher knowledge of the law to prevent and manage cyberbullying incidents.
Understanding and Costing Offending Trajectories: Creating an Evidence-Base for Targeting Crime Prevention. The research will provide an evidence-base for targeting diversionary and crime prevention programs and for assessing their cost-effectiveness. Many of these programs have resulted in a range of beneficial outcomes and they are receiving increased government funding. By providing a better understanding of offending pathways, the research will enable programs to be targeted towards particul ....Understanding and Costing Offending Trajectories: Creating an Evidence-Base for Targeting Crime Prevention. The research will provide an evidence-base for targeting diversionary and crime prevention programs and for assessing their cost-effectiveness. Many of these programs have resulted in a range of beneficial outcomes and they are receiving increased government funding. By providing a better understanding of offending pathways, the research will enable programs to be targeted towards particular at-risk groups at crucial developmental phases. The innovative longitudinal costing method that will be developed and applied in the Queensland context will enable an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of diversionary and crime prevention programs. This will provide a sound empirical basis for directing scarce government resources.Read moreRead less
Adult Sexual Assault: An evidence-based policy, practice and advocacy model for Victoria Police. Sexual violence causes long term health and economic costs. One Australian study estimates the fiscal cost to victims and the community as 230m dollars per year. The trauma of the assault is often compounded by police investigative processes that victims find alienating and demeaning. Eliminating significant barriers to police reporting and creating a more just criminal response is essential. Sexual ....Adult Sexual Assault: An evidence-based policy, practice and advocacy model for Victoria Police. Sexual violence causes long term health and economic costs. One Australian study estimates the fiscal cost to victims and the community as 230m dollars per year. The trauma of the assault is often compounded by police investigative processes that victims find alienating and demeaning. Eliminating significant barriers to police reporting and creating a more just criminal response is essential. Sexual assault is recognised globally as a Human Rights issue that is receiving increasing attention by governments in Australia. This project will result in the implementation of a policing model that advances the rights and welfare of victims therefore contributing an important step in ameliorating some of the documented health consequences.
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Developmental pathways to health, education and delinquency outcomes in Western Australia children: a holistic approach to inform early intervention strategies. This project will pioneer population-level data linkages between WA's population health databases and information held by the WA Departments of Education (numeracy and literacy), Justice (juvenile delinquency), Disabilities, and Community Development (child protection). The project will describe temporal, regional, socioeconomic and raci ....Developmental pathways to health, education and delinquency outcomes in Western Australia children: a holistic approach to inform early intervention strategies. This project will pioneer population-level data linkages between WA's population health databases and information held by the WA Departments of Education (numeracy and literacy), Justice (juvenile delinquency), Disabilities, and Community Development (child protection). The project will describe temporal, regional, socioeconomic and racial patterns of developmental outcomes, key risk and protective factors and identify pathways to health and wellbeing, education and juvenile delinquency outcomes among WA children and youth, including those who have had contact with the Child Protection System. Outcomes for specific groups identified as ät risk" will also be examined".Read moreRead less
International Operations and the Australian Federal Police: Devising a legal framework. As a major player in the maintenance of regional peace and security, Australia is increasingly using Australian Federation Police (AFP) in a range of international operations. The extent of deployments and the expectations both governments and communities place on these operations is unprecedented. This project, in collaboration with the AFP, will draw upon recent experiences to provide a clear legal framewo ....International Operations and the Australian Federal Police: Devising a legal framework. As a major player in the maintenance of regional peace and security, Australia is increasingly using Australian Federation Police (AFP) in a range of international operations. The extent of deployments and the expectations both governments and communities place on these operations is unprecedented. This project, in collaboration with the AFP, will draw upon recent experiences to provide a clear legal framework, advancing the capacity for AFP deployments to maintain their high commitment to the rule of law. The project is of international significance and will consolidate Australia's reputation as innovative and influential in the planning, management and conduct of police in international operations. Read moreRead less
Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expecte ....Constructing Building Integrity: Raising standards through professionalism. This project aims to investigate the role of professions in rebuilding trust in residential building construction in Australia. In the wake of expensive and life-threatening building defects, this project expects to generate new knowledge about the functioning of individual professionals, professionals employed in multi-profession organisations, and professionals’ interaction with their institutional environment. Expected outcomes include practical recommendations for improved professional standards, a rigorous building integrity system and a means for measuring change. Anticipated benefits include greater awareness by professions, trades and regulators of their role in in delivering the public goods of a trustworthy construction industry.Read moreRead less
Small mercies, big futures: enhancing law, policy and practice in the selection, protection and settlement of refugee children and youth. This project will assist refugee youth and children who ultimately become Australian citizens or permanent residents. In so doing, it will help to maximise the social benefits that flow from immigration. The project will also help to reduce the risk of social dysfunction that flows from damage sustained in childhood. By raising awareness of issues involving ....Small mercies, big futures: enhancing law, policy and practice in the selection, protection and settlement of refugee children and youth. This project will assist refugee youth and children who ultimately become Australian citizens or permanent residents. In so doing, it will help to maximise the social benefits that flow from immigration. The project will also help to reduce the risk of social dysfunction that flows from damage sustained in childhood. By raising awareness of issues involving refugee children, the project will encourage Australians to become more responsive to children generally. Finally, the international exposure generated by the project will assist in restoring Australia's international reputation, which has been damaged by poor practices in relation to refugee youth and children in the past.Read moreRead less