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
Understanding and responding to online child sexual exploitation offenders. The development of online communication technologies has facilitated a growth in online child sexual exploitation over the past two decades. Using a data-linkage framework, this project aims to enhance understanding of online child sexual exploitation, the legal frameworks surrounding this issue, and the unique characteristics, risks and needs of online sexual offenders. Expected outcomes include increased knowledge to i ....Understanding and responding to online child sexual exploitation offenders. The development of online communication technologies has facilitated a growth in online child sexual exploitation over the past two decades. Using a data-linkage framework, this project aims to enhance understanding of online child sexual exploitation, the legal frameworks surrounding this issue, and the unique characteristics, risks and needs of online sexual offenders. Expected outcomes include increased knowledge to inform current law enforcement and sentencing practices and the development of risk assessment and intervention protocols for clinical use with online offenders. This should increase evidence-based practice with online sexual offenders and assist in preventing the sexual exploitation of children online and in the community.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
Ageing in prison: A strategic framework for the management of ageing offenders in the Australian criminal justice system. The knowledge and strategies offered by this research will contribute to significant improvements in planning of programs and facilities for Australian prisons and prisoner support services. In turn, ageing prisoners will benefit from improved mental and physical health, reduction in homelessness, and reduced recidivism. Improved knowledge of the needs of ageing prisoners wil ....Ageing in prison: A strategic framework for the management of ageing offenders in the Australian criminal justice system. The knowledge and strategies offered by this research will contribute to significant improvements in planning of programs and facilities for Australian prisons and prisoner support services. In turn, ageing prisoners will benefit from improved mental and physical health, reduction in homelessness, and reduced recidivism. Improved knowledge of the needs of ageing prisoners will allow reduced costs, through better planning, less inefficiencies and a decreased burden on community health and welfare systems. The project will also assist government departments to ensure national and international human rights obligations are met.Read moreRead less
Restorative Justice for Victims and Serious Offenders. This project investigates how to reduce the human costs of serious crime through Restorative Justice (RJ) processes that can help victims recover from the trauma of serious crimes and hold offenders accountable for their actions. The project will (1) provide an independent and rigorous assessment of the RJ program for the industry partner, (2) contribute to an evidence-based national debate on policy responses to serious crimes through ident ....Restorative Justice for Victims and Serious Offenders. This project investigates how to reduce the human costs of serious crime through Restorative Justice (RJ) processes that can help victims recover from the trauma of serious crimes and hold offenders accountable for their actions. The project will (1) provide an independent and rigorous assessment of the RJ program for the industry partner, (2) contribute to an evidence-based national debate on policy responses to serious crimes through identifying the strengths and limitations of RJ and showing how RJ can be optimally practised to maximise benefits for all participants and the wider community, and (3) contribute significantly to the theory and practice of RJ, enhancing Australia's international reputation as a leader in this research area.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.
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100626
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Othering in penal policy and practice: a cross-national study of imprisonment in Australia and Sweden. This is a comparative project between Australia and Scandinavia, focusing on prisons and practices of punishment. Based on innovative normative theory, it will propose a model of practice than can reduce violence and disorder in prisons, lead to a safer work environment for staff, and more humane treatment of prisoners.