Sentencing and public confidence: public perceptions and the role of the public in sentencing practice and policy. Public confidence is critical to the effective operation of the criminal justice system. This project will generate much needed current national data on public attitudes about sentencing. It examines avenues for the incorporation of public opinion into sentencing policy and processes, and provides accurate measures of the factors involved. The results will enable governments to res ....Sentencing and public confidence: public perceptions and the role of the public in sentencing practice and policy. Public confidence is critical to the effective operation of the criminal justice system. This project will generate much needed current national data on public attitudes about sentencing. It examines avenues for the incorporation of public opinion into sentencing policy and processes, and provides accurate measures of the factors involved. The results will enable governments to respond to periodic crises in public confidence in constructive and informed ways, rather than act in response to law and order rhetoric, linked with harsh sentencing regimes, and costly and potentially unnecessary increases in incarceration rates.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.
Australian human rights complaints: Litigation, mediation or conciliation. This project will assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints in Australia – conciliation, mediation and litigation. It will be the first project to evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms in a human rights context. Working with industry partners from the legal sector and four human rights commissions, this project will generate new knowledge on human rights complaints and on ....Australian human rights complaints: Litigation, mediation or conciliation. This project will assess the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints in Australia – conciliation, mediation and litigation. It will be the first project to evaluate the effectiveness of these mechanisms in a human rights context. Working with industry partners from the legal sector and four human rights commissions, this project will generate new knowledge on human rights complaints and on the views of key stakeholders about the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to resolve human rights complaints. This new information will inform legal and policy reform throughout Australia. The expected outcomes include developing a robust evidence-based model for human rights dispute resolution in the Australian context.Read moreRead less
Sparking a National Conversation. This project aims to understand why some promises of a ‘national conversation’ on a policy issue seem to be mere hyperbole, while others seem more authentic. Using an evaluative framework based on the latest democratic theory, and the aims and understandings of key actors in each case, the project plans to compare three cases that claimed to spark a national conversation: the Scottish National Conversation 2007–14; debates around the Affordable Care Act in the U ....Sparking a National Conversation. This project aims to understand why some promises of a ‘national conversation’ on a policy issue seem to be mere hyperbole, while others seem more authentic. Using an evaluative framework based on the latest democratic theory, and the aims and understandings of key actors in each case, the project plans to compare three cases that claimed to spark a national conversation: the Scottish National Conversation 2007–14; debates around the Affordable Care Act in the United States, 2009; and the ongoing issue of Indigenous constitutional recognition in Australia. The project aims to identify why some real-world efforts work better than others, and draw lessons for replicating best practice in Australia. Project outcomes may provide advice to policy-makers on how to engage citizens better in the major issues of the day.Read moreRead less
Investigating the Coronial Determination of Suicide as a Category of Death. Data for suicide statistics can only come from official findings of suicide by a coroner, but this is a finding they are often reluctant to reach. The purpose of this project is to investigate how statistical calculations of suicide are dependent upon its coronial determination. The research is not only expected to result in more defensible national suicide data, it also aims to clarify the degree to which the recurrent ....Investigating the Coronial Determination of Suicide as a Category of Death. Data for suicide statistics can only come from official findings of suicide by a coroner, but this is a finding they are often reluctant to reach. The purpose of this project is to investigate how statistical calculations of suicide are dependent upon its coronial determination. The research is not only expected to result in more defensible national suicide data, it also aims to clarify the degree to which the recurrent 'problem' of suicide data may lie in the coronial construction of suicide itself. Expected benefits of the project include the clarification of the role of the coroners regarding suicide determination, and the more effective targeting of suicide prevention programs.Read moreRead less
Parole in crisis? Public opinion on the use of parole. Serious crimes committed by parolees in Australia have brought parole into the public eye. Without concrete evidence, governments often act on the assumption that the public holds punitive attitudes. This project is expected to develop an evidence base to inform policy on parole at a crucial time when governments are under pressure to restrict its use. Three mixed-method studies aim to assess: what public views on parole are; why the public ....Parole in crisis? Public opinion on the use of parole. Serious crimes committed by parolees in Australia have brought parole into the public eye. Without concrete evidence, governments often act on the assumption that the public holds punitive attitudes. This project is expected to develop an evidence base to inform policy on parole at a crucial time when governments are under pressure to restrict its use. Three mixed-method studies aim to assess: what public views on parole are; why the public holds these views; and what influence these views have on policy and practice. The project is expected to make contributions to: creating information strategies that properly inform the public; supporting prisoner reintegration strategies; and shaping criminal justice policies based on informed community feedback.Read moreRead less
Examining multi-level Information Technology (IT) project alignment in government services: the case of contracted employment services. Improved Information Technology (IT) alignment is essential for the delivery of government services within a complex public-private, inter-organisational environment. This project will investigate the extent to which well-aligned IT support systems contribute positively to the efficient and effective delivery of contracted employment services.
Towards Global Carbon Integrity: Applying integrity systems methodology to the ‘global carbon crisis’. This project applies a widely respected approach to analysing governance systems to global problems of carbon emissions and sustainable development generally. Its significance lies in the centrality of the problems addressed and the adaptation of the widely praised NISA (National Integrity Systems Assessments) approach from domestic to international spheres. It aims to: adapt NISA to apply to ....Towards Global Carbon Integrity: Applying integrity systems methodology to the ‘global carbon crisis’. This project applies a widely respected approach to analysing governance systems to global problems of carbon emissions and sustainable development generally. Its significance lies in the centrality of the problems addressed and the adaptation of the widely praised NISA (National Integrity Systems Assessments) approach from domestic to international spheres. It aims to: adapt NISA to apply to a global sectoral problem of major significance; map and assess the Global Carbon Integrity system; identify gaps, weaknesses and areas on non-collaboration; provide suggestions for improvement; provide a fresh and useful perspective on global problems applicable to other issues. Read moreRead less
Building rule of law capacity in a transitional state: lessons from the Australian criminal justice assistance programme in Cambodia 1997-2007. Australian overseas aid has recently stressed funding better governance and security as pre-requisites to poverty reduction and economic development. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a long term legal assistance programme designed to strengthen the rule of law in a fragile state such as Cambodia. Police reform in fragile states has often failed ....Building rule of law capacity in a transitional state: lessons from the Australian criminal justice assistance programme in Cambodia 1997-2007. Australian overseas aid has recently stressed funding better governance and security as pre-requisites to poverty reduction and economic development. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a long term legal assistance programme designed to strengthen the rule of law in a fragile state such as Cambodia. Police reform in fragile states has often failed and lessons learnt by the CCJAP over the past 10 years will contribute to our knowledge about the best practices and strategies needed to improve security and governance in fragile states. Capacity building efforts to improve international law enforcement cooperation, especially in regard to counter-terrorism and transnational crime, will benefit from this review.Read moreRead less
Globalisation and the policing of internal borders. This project aims to examine processes of social inclusion and exclusion under conditions of globalisation. It investigates the enforcement of immigration law and related policies that divide populations according to hierarchies of effective citizenship. The aim is to identify more inclusive approaches to governance suitable for a globally connected world. The project aims to identify and promulgate positive examples of community and organisati ....Globalisation and the policing of internal borders. This project aims to examine processes of social inclusion and exclusion under conditions of globalisation. It investigates the enforcement of immigration law and related policies that divide populations according to hierarchies of effective citizenship. The aim is to identify more inclusive approaches to governance suitable for a globally connected world. The project aims to identify and promulgate positive examples of community and organisational practices that maximise social inclusiveness.Read moreRead less