Threshold Decisions in Determining Whether to Prosecute Child Sexual Abuse. The objective of this project is new knowledge about the way police and prosecutors make decisions about the prosecution of child sexual assault that could be used to influence policy and practice. Few cases of child sexual abuse reported to the police ever go to court but recent research in New South Wales for the Royal Commission indicates that the proportion has declined sharply over the last decade or so. This projec ....Threshold Decisions in Determining Whether to Prosecute Child Sexual Abuse. The objective of this project is new knowledge about the way police and prosecutors make decisions about the prosecution of child sexual assault that could be used to influence policy and practice. Few cases of child sexual abuse reported to the police ever go to court but recent research in New South Wales for the Royal Commission indicates that the proportion has declined sharply over the last decade or so. This project aims to examine how police and prosecutors decide which cases proceed and why, and how they confer with each other as well as when and how they consult with complainants and their families. This project plans to also develop and test practice tools and principles for police and prosecutors with expected benefits for both them and the families involved.Read moreRead less
A model of sex offender registration, monitoring, and risk management. This research will investigate the ways in which sexual offenders are managed in the community and identify the most effective means of preventing further offending, thereby promoting community safety.
Understanding the drivers and motivators of extremist violence. Despite intense interest in the issue, our understanding of and ability to respond to extremist violence is limited. This innovative program of research is designed to establish an empirical foundation for understanding and responding to extremist violence in Australia. It aims to examine risk and protective factors for such violence, the needs of those susceptible to committing such acts, and the effectiveness of intervention. Find ....Understanding the drivers and motivators of extremist violence. Despite intense interest in the issue, our understanding of and ability to respond to extremist violence is limited. This innovative program of research is designed to establish an empirical foundation for understanding and responding to extremist violence in Australia. It aims to examine risk and protective factors for such violence, the needs of those susceptible to committing such acts, and the effectiveness of intervention. Findings are expected to inform health, national security, social welfare, and justice agencies in their pursuit to identify those at risk of offending, address their clinical needs and manage the risk of harm they pose to society and to themselves.Read moreRead less
The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcom ....The cost of keeping gruesome images from the world. This project aims to investigate one of society’s most invisible ‘frontline’ trauma workforces—the online content moderators responsible for limiting the public’s exposure to distressing and sensitive content on social media. Using a series of rigorous experiments, and cutting-edge psychological and physiological assessment techniques, the research will advance our understanding of the impact of indirect trauma on mental health. Expected outcomes include novel empirical evidence for preventative strategies that will predict, monitor and reduce negative mental health outcomes. This will provide significant global benefits to people with indirect trauma experiences, such as defence and forensic personnel.Read moreRead less
Examining the impact of remand and the utility of bail risk assessments. Australia has experienced soaring incarceration rates, driven by the pre-trial detention of unsentenced people pending trial, not by rising crime rates. The decision to remand a person into custody pending trial has implications for public safety and individual rights. Although the impact of remand has gained increasing importance given adverse coronial findings, no studies have examined the mental health and justice impact ....Examining the impact of remand and the utility of bail risk assessments. Australia has experienced soaring incarceration rates, driven by the pre-trial detention of unsentenced people pending trial, not by rising crime rates. The decision to remand a person into custody pending trial has implications for public safety and individual rights. Although the impact of remand has gained increasing importance given adverse coronial findings, no studies have examined the mental health and justice impacts of remand. This project seeks to examine the effect of remand on future crime, justice outcomes, and mental health outcomes. This project will also examine the factors associated with bail decisions and develop mathematical models designed to accurately forecast bail release outcomes and reduce demographic disparities. Read moreRead less
Body Worn Camera Evidence and Assessment of Witness Credibility. The aim of this project is to establish how the use of Body Worn Cameras to record statements in domestic and family violence cases affects assessment of a complainant’s credibility at trial. It will generate new knowledge about the influence of: (i) the physical environment in which recordings are made, (ii) the audio and visual quality of recordings, and (iii) fact-finders’ (judges and jurors) emotional responses to recordings.
....Body Worn Camera Evidence and Assessment of Witness Credibility. The aim of this project is to establish how the use of Body Worn Cameras to record statements in domestic and family violence cases affects assessment of a complainant’s credibility at trial. It will generate new knowledge about the influence of: (i) the physical environment in which recordings are made, (ii) the audio and visual quality of recordings, and (iii) fact-finders’ (judges and jurors) emotional responses to recordings.
Expected outcomes of the project include law reform and policy recommendations to improve the practice of recording victim/witness statements and management of the use of such evidence in criminal proceedings.
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Coordination networks based on carbonate and related ions. The very familiar carbonate ion will be put to use to generate a very unfamiliar family of new coordination polymers with geometries and topologies of fundamental structural significance. Carbonate's ability to bring associated metal centres into close communication may lead to unusual and possibly useful electrical, magnetic and catalytic properties. The ability to deliberately engineer specifically targeted coordination polymers with ....Coordination networks based on carbonate and related ions. The very familiar carbonate ion will be put to use to generate a very unfamiliar family of new coordination polymers with geometries and topologies of fundamental structural significance. Carbonate's ability to bring associated metal centres into close communication may lead to unusual and possibly useful electrical, magnetic and catalytic properties. The ability to deliberately engineer specifically targeted coordination polymers with predetermined properties or functions would make possible diverse applications of great practical value; the project will contribute significantly to the basis for such capabilities leading to ?designer materials? of the future.Read moreRead less
Coordination Networks and Supramolecules with Chemically Active Reaction Sites. Supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering are two related areas of chemistry which examine the way molecules can come together to form larger structures. Usually, however, the aggregations formed are chemically inert, limiting the scope of their potential applications. This project aims to design and synthesise such assemblies that are capable of actively participating in chemical reactions after assembly. The ....Coordination Networks and Supramolecules with Chemically Active Reaction Sites. Supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering are two related areas of chemistry which examine the way molecules can come together to form larger structures. Usually, however, the aggregations formed are chemically inert, limiting the scope of their potential applications. This project aims to design and synthesise such assemblies that are capable of actively participating in chemical reactions after assembly. The realisation of these aims will give new routes to the production of new catalysts (analogous to enzymes in biological systems), nanoscale molecular sieves, molecular sensors, or materials that show unusual host-guest chemistryRead moreRead less
Coordination Networks and Supramolecules with Potential Post-Assembly Chemical Activity. Two areas of chemistry currently receiving a great deal of attention are supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. However, in the majority of these systems, once synthesised the assemblies are chemically inert. This project aims to assemble supramolecules and coordination polymers which are capable of actively participating in chemical reactions. Such systems show potential as new heterogeneous or h ....Coordination Networks and Supramolecules with Potential Post-Assembly Chemical Activity. Two areas of chemistry currently receiving a great deal of attention are supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. However, in the majority of these systems, once synthesised the assemblies are chemically inert. This project aims to assemble supramolecules and coordination polymers which are capable of actively participating in chemical reactions. Such systems show potential as new heterogeneous or homogeneous catalysts, selective molecular sieves, or show unusual host-guest chemistry. Techniques developed will provide a means by which present homogeneous catalysts used widely in industry could be converted into heterogeneous species. This would have many benefits, including improved recovery and re-use of catalysts.Read moreRead less
Advanced Materials constructed from 'Nanoballs' and Variable Length Ligands. Novel types of porous materials will be made using a revolutionary new way to connect metal ions. Remarkable nanometer sized molecules ('nanoballs') will be investigated for their unprecedented variety of useful properties. As well as advancing our understanding of the science of advanced materials, this project will have application in areas such as hydrogen and methane storage, trapping of greenhouse gases such as car ....Advanced Materials constructed from 'Nanoballs' and Variable Length Ligands. Novel types of porous materials will be made using a revolutionary new way to connect metal ions. Remarkable nanometer sized molecules ('nanoballs') will be investigated for their unprecedented variety of useful properties. As well as advancing our understanding of the science of advanced materials, this project will have application in areas such as hydrogen and methane storage, trapping of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, molecular sensing, catalysis, and information storage.Read moreRead less