Lifting the burden of imprisonment: Creating safer and stronger communities. This project aims to identify how a reduction in imprisonment rates could benefit Australian communities and enhance their safety and wellbeing. It will link a range of statistical data sources on imprisonment, crime and community wellbeing. We will, for the first time, comprehensively demonstrate the impact of imprisonment on individuals and communities in Australia and beyond. Expected outcomes of this project include ....Lifting the burden of imprisonment: Creating safer and stronger communities. This project aims to identify how a reduction in imprisonment rates could benefit Australian communities and enhance their safety and wellbeing. It will link a range of statistical data sources on imprisonment, crime and community wellbeing. We will, for the first time, comprehensively demonstrate the impact of imprisonment on individuals and communities in Australia and beyond. Expected outcomes of this project include expansion and innovation of coercive mobility theory, novel integration of data, and a forecasting tool to assess the impact of imprisonment reduction on communities. This evidence will assist advocacy groups and policy makers seeking to address Australia’s burgeoning imprisonment rate.Read moreRead less
Identifying novel, health-related predictors of recidivism: Informing evidence-based throughcare. Throughcare is a policy priority for correctional authorities in Australia, however the evidence base to inform policy is limited. Using innovative modelling techniques and unique data from a large, representative cohort of ex-prisoners in Queensland, this study will: identify novel, health-related predictors of recidivism in the first two years after release from adult custody; examine the extent t ....Identifying novel, health-related predictors of recidivism: Informing evidence-based throughcare. Throughcare is a policy priority for correctional authorities in Australia, however the evidence base to inform policy is limited. Using innovative modelling techniques and unique data from a large, representative cohort of ex-prisoners in Queensland, this study will: identify novel, health-related predictors of recidivism in the first two years after release from adult custody; examine the extent to which risk and protective factors for recidivism vary over time and according to individual characteristics; and, provide evidence-based recommendations to improve throughcare interventions and reduce recidivism.Read moreRead less
What works, what doesn't, and what is promising for preventing sexual violence and abuse: the effectiveness of situational prevention. The costs of sexual violence and abuse are enormous and involve immediate and long-term negative effects for the life of victims, families and the society. This project will investigate and provide critical evidence-based knowledge on the effectiveness of situational prevention measures.
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
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
Social Infrastructure in a Society of Captives. This project aims to understand how innovations in the prison environment can promote positive human connections between prisoner and staff groups, which has the potential to reduce the dehumanisation and related harms associated with imprisonment in Australia. Using state of the art research methods and innovative theoretical tools, the project will explore how the concept of social infrastructure can be applied in prisons. Outcomes include new kn ....Social Infrastructure in a Society of Captives. This project aims to understand how innovations in the prison environment can promote positive human connections between prisoner and staff groups, which has the potential to reduce the dehumanisation and related harms associated with imprisonment in Australia. Using state of the art research methods and innovative theoretical tools, the project will explore how the concept of social infrastructure can be applied in prisons. Outcomes include new knowledge focused on the interaction between people and spaces in correctional settings when the purpose is positive human development. The anticipated benefits include the release of more prisoners who can be functioning citizens, contributing to community safety and productivity in the long term.Read moreRead less
Improving the Outcomes of Anger Management Programs for Violent Offenders: The Role of Perspective-Taking Deficits in Violent Crime. Criminal justice systems have increasingly identified violent offenders as a key target group for rehabilitation programs. Anger management or violence programs have been widely implemented in Australia. However, recent research evaluating program outcomes suggests that the overall impact of these programs is low. The aim of the proposed project is to develop new a ....Improving the Outcomes of Anger Management Programs for Violent Offenders: The Role of Perspective-Taking Deficits in Violent Crime. Criminal justice systems have increasingly identified violent offenders as a key target group for rehabilitation programs. Anger management or violence programs have been widely implemented in Australia. However, recent research evaluating program outcomes suggests that the overall impact of these programs is low. The aim of the proposed project is to develop new and more effective interventions for violent offenders by examining the role of perspective taking deficits in angry and violent behaviour. The research will therefore contribute directly to the reduction of violent crime and improved community safety in Australia.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
Reducing Aboriginal imprisonment: An offence-specific study. This project aims to capture the complex personal, cultural, and social factors underpinning behaviours of Aboriginal prisoners in South Australia and Northern Territory. This project expects to generate new knowledge through focus groups and interviews with Aboriginal prisoners as well as intensive immersion within key communities to which Aboriginal prisoners return. The project will result in place-based and culturally informed appr ....Reducing Aboriginal imprisonment: An offence-specific study. This project aims to capture the complex personal, cultural, and social factors underpinning behaviours of Aboriginal prisoners in South Australia and Northern Territory. This project expects to generate new knowledge through focus groups and interviews with Aboriginal prisoners as well as intensive immersion within key communities to which Aboriginal prisoners return. The project will result in place-based and culturally informed approaches for supporting desistance from crime among high-rate offenders. This will provide significant benefits by enhancing scholarly and policy understanding of Aboriginal incarceration and pathways to social and economic well-being.Read moreRead less
Understanding and preventing youth sexual violence and abuse: an investigation of offender development, offending onset, and progression. Youth sexual violence and abuse poses serious threats to the health and well-being of Australian women and children. This project will investigate the development, onset and progression of youth sexual violence and abuse, and thereby contribute to its management and prevention.