Socio-psychological factors and compliance with work health and safety regulation – theory, policy and practice. This project will examine and provide an account of the relationship between socio-psychological factors (knowledge, motivations, attitudes, perceptions and norms), and procedural and substantive compliance with work health and safety regulation and lead the way in reducing workplace injuries through improving regulatory effectiveness.
Undocumented Migrants- Unearthing Knowledge on a Key Source of Farm Labour. The Australian horticulture industry has endemic labour challenges, both in terms of labour supply challenges and a systemic problem of non-compliance with labour standards. A core component of both problems is the entrenched reliance on undocumented migrants. Given complex supply chains transiting fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm to the consumer, undocumented workers are largely invisible. There is very little ....Undocumented Migrants- Unearthing Knowledge on a Key Source of Farm Labour. The Australian horticulture industry has endemic labour challenges, both in terms of labour supply challenges and a systemic problem of non-compliance with labour standards. A core component of both problems is the entrenched reliance on undocumented migrants. Given complex supply chains transiting fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm to the consumer, undocumented workers are largely invisible. There is very little research on undocumented workers on farms. Addressing this critical Australian and international knowledge gap, this project is the first study to comprehensively analyse the role of undocumented migrants in the horticulture industry from a multi-stakeholder approach, involving government, employers and workers.Read moreRead less
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
Next-generation latent fingermark detection using functional nanomaterials. Next-generation latent fingermark detection using functional nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a nanotechnology-based fingermark detection technique applicable in standard police laboratories and crime scenes. Current methods only detect half the fingermarks on an object, so many criminals are not identified. This project will use silicon oxide nanoparticles with a luminescent dye to target fingermark secretion ....Next-generation latent fingermark detection using functional nanomaterials. Next-generation latent fingermark detection using functional nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a nanotechnology-based fingermark detection technique applicable in standard police laboratories and crime scenes. Current methods only detect half the fingermarks on an object, so many criminals are not identified. This project will use silicon oxide nanoparticles with a luminescent dye to target fingermark secretion components and address interference from substrate chemistries and background luminescence. Moving away from traditional detection methods is expected to improve law enforcement outcomes, as fingermarks that current technologies cannot detect will be visualised for the first time.Read moreRead less
Visualisation of latent DNA. This project aims to deliver a proof-of-concept that allows visualisation of invisible DNA (latent DNA) into a quick, inexpensive and practical DNA collection method that will lead to DNA evidence being available in more cases. It will build upon a proof-of-concept method ready for transferal to forensic casework. This will allow DNA evidence recovery technicians to improve their hit rate in recovering latent DNA from real crime items, leading to more informative DNA ....Visualisation of latent DNA. This project aims to deliver a proof-of-concept that allows visualisation of invisible DNA (latent DNA) into a quick, inexpensive and practical DNA collection method that will lead to DNA evidence being available in more cases. It will build upon a proof-of-concept method ready for transferal to forensic casework. This will allow DNA evidence recovery technicians to improve their hit rate in recovering latent DNA from real crime items, leading to more informative DNA profiles. Crime items that currently yield no genetic information will now be informative, assisting investigations of serious crimes or terrorist incidents.Read moreRead less
Rapid CYBERNOSE ® detection of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. Rapid CYBERNOSE ® detection of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. This project aims to develop a novel biosensor prototype based on CYBERNOSE® technology to rapidly identify volatile traces of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals in concealed environments. The CYBERNOSE® technology employs sensors using the highly sophisticated and sensitive olfactory receptors of microscopic nematode worms linked to an optoelectronic det ....Rapid CYBERNOSE ® detection of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. Rapid CYBERNOSE ® detection of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. This project aims to develop a novel biosensor prototype based on CYBERNOSE® technology to rapidly identify volatile traces of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals in concealed environments. The CYBERNOSE® technology employs sensors using the highly sophisticated and sensitive olfactory receptors of microscopic nematode worms linked to an optoelectronic detector. The need for rapid, non-contact screening devices to detect and identify illicit drugs and precursors entering Australia has never been greater. Law enforcement agencies should directly benefit from the capability to more rapidly screen people and cargo, improving efficiency of illicit drug detection and protection of our borders.Read moreRead less
Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. This project aims to develop an optimised methodology that uses illicit drug profiling for operational intelligence. The fight against the illicit drug trade suffers from a relatively ineffective use of forensic science, predominantly applied as a reactive tool for court purposes after the commission of a crime, and a general under-utilisation of available information by Australian forensic drug lab ....Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. Illicit drug profiling in forensic intelligence. This project aims to develop an optimised methodology that uses illicit drug profiling for operational intelligence. The fight against the illicit drug trade suffers from a relatively ineffective use of forensic science, predominantly applied as a reactive tool for court purposes after the commission of a crime, and a general under-utilisation of available information by Australian forensic drug laboratories whose scientific results contribute minimally to active operations. This project’s methodology, which uses forensic science proactively for intelligence rather than reactively for courts, is expected to make the fight against organised crime more effective and support the three pillars of the Australian National Drug Strategy (supply, demand and harm reduction).Read moreRead less
Universal immunogenic reagents for the detection of latent fingermarks. This project will deliver the first antibody reagents for the routine detection of natural fingermarks. This will assist law enforcement agencies to provide a safer society through improved crime clearance, as they will be able to enhance and detect fingermarks that otherwise remain undetected with current techniques (e.g. fingermarks on human skin).
An early warning system for police workplace health and performance. This project aims to build a comprehensive organisational model of police workplace health and performance. This project answers the call for immediate organisational reform of police workplaces resulting from an Australian national study (2018) and Australian Senate Inquiry (2019). Police experience harm that must be addressed through organisational improvements, leading to more efficient policing. In the first study of its ki ....An early warning system for police workplace health and performance. This project aims to build a comprehensive organisational model of police workplace health and performance. This project answers the call for immediate organisational reform of police workplaces resulting from an Australian national study (2018) and Australian Senate Inquiry (2019). Police experience harm that must be addressed through organisational improvements, leading to more efficient policing. In the first study of its kind, this project will develop a practical early warning system that promotes strategic and front-line leadership capability of Australian police agencies in workplace health and performance. It will allow better identification of risk, resource allocation and tracking of these critical issues in policing.Read moreRead less
Making demonstrably reliable forensic voice comparison a practical everyday reality in Australia. To assist Australian law-enforcement agencies and courts in the process of the conviction of the guilty and the exoneration of the innocent, this project will develop and test a practical and demonstrably reliable forensic voice comparison system for use with Australian voices. This will allow forensic scientists to produce reliable strength of evidence statements for presentation in court using the ....Making demonstrably reliable forensic voice comparison a practical everyday reality in Australia. To assist Australian law-enforcement agencies and courts in the process of the conviction of the guilty and the exoneration of the innocent, this project will develop and test a practical and demonstrably reliable forensic voice comparison system for use with Australian voices. This will allow forensic scientists to produce reliable strength of evidence statements for presentation in court using the same evaluative framework as used with DNA. In addition, application of the system during criminal investigations may lead to the refocussing of investigations on other suspects, or may help leverage guilty pleas, thus saving substantial time and money.Read moreRead less